Cyclonian Mind Control
by The Alien of Pluto
Summary: Cyclonis uses a brilliant idea previously brought to light; She makes a crystal, she steals a host, and she's conquering the Atmos. Everyone fights back of course, but how do you fight when he's your best friend, your leader?
1. Part 1

_**I wrote this like an actual episode so there's like no blood or dying.**_

_**This isn't really**_** K+ **_**story but it doesn't exactly fit the **_**T**_** rating either, so...just read, it'll become clearer.  
**_

**

* * *

History**

"Piper, come on!" whined Aerrow.

"Please Piper, just once?" begged Junko.

Finn's shoulders drooped and he crossed his arms as he huffed, frowning. Radarr nodded to Piper in encouragement. Looking at their puppy-dog-eyed faces, Piper finally gave in, "Fine" she said "but it's the last time, I need to get to work with my new crystal inverter!" she took a big breath, turning around, facing away from the others. Suddenly she jumped around to face them, a smug, sarcastic smile on her face, crossing her arms and leaning on her back foot.

"Hey ladies," she said in a mock Finn-voice, "get a load of this," she held up her arms, flexing her non-existent biceps, a prefect representation of Finn's. "Please ladies, there's enough Finn to go around, one at a time!"

Everyone but Stork and Finn burst out laughing. Stork turned back to flying the _Condor_, mumbling about mind worms.

"Aww, come on Finn, you gotta admit, she does a pretty good impression!" laughed Aerrow.

Finn snorted, "That sounds nothing like me! And I wouldn't say it like that! Besides, her stance is all wrong!" he mumbled.

"Chika Cha!" cried Piper triumphantly.

* * * *

The alarm rang throughout the _Condor_. Everyone jumped from their seats and ran to the bridge.

"Cyclonians?" asked Aerrow.

"Yep," Stork confirmed, handing him the peepers.

"To the skimmers?" asked Finn eagerly, bouncing up and down with anticipation.

"To the skimmers" agreed Aerrow, running ahead to the hangar. Everyone revved up their skimmers and flew out to meet the oncoming attackers. The battle was short, but had dire consequences. Finn was engaged in a shoot-off with Ravess, they were taking out more Talons than anyone as they struggled to out-do one another. Piper and Junko were successfully confusing Snipe as he flew round and round in circles trying to keep up with them. In all the confusion of the battle no one but Radarr and the Dark Ace saw Aerrow fall. At the battle's beginning Aerrow had, of course, flown straight to the Dark Ace to duel. While they dueled a Talon had sneakily flown up behind Aerrow and whacked him in the head as he flew over him. Aerrow struggled to remain conscious but it did no good. He fell sideways off his skimmer, managing to open his glider-wings a little to slow his fall, just before slipping under the wall of black in his mind. Radarr pulled Aerrow's under him trying to catch his friend, but the Dark Ace got there before him and Aerrow dropped onto the wing of the Dark Ace's skimmer. The Dark Ace turned around, blasting and stalling the engine of Aerrow's sky ride, setting Radarr into a panic. Junko was the first, after Radarr, to notice what had happened,

"Piper!" he shouted, "they got Aerrow!"

Piper looked toward where Junko was pointing, momentarily distracted. This gave Snipe all the chances he needed and he quickly destroyed their rides, but missing the riders by inches. Finn was next. He too heard Junko's shout to Piper and turned, Ravess also used his distraction to overcome him and she shot a hole through the wing of his skimmer. The Dark Ace called a retreat, surprising the Storm Hawks until they realized, he still had Aerrow, and they were barely able to stay airborne.


	2. Chapter 2

Master Cyclonis had Ravess, Snipe, and Repton assembled in her main chamber.

"Master, tell me again why you need to use Aerrow, when you could have any other Sky Knight in all of the Atmos?"

Snarling under her breath, Master Cyclonis turned around,

"Because, you pathetic goon, right now the Storm Hawks are the most popular squadron in the Atmos, and Aerrow, as the leader, the most famous of all of them. And if history were to, say, _repeat_ itself, Atmos, along with the Storm Hawks, would be devastated and would fall in our wake."

"But how?" demanded Snipe.

Just then the Dark Ace burst through the door, dragging a struggling, gagged Aerrow.

"Ahh, Dark Ace, Aerrow, how nice of you to join us," breathed Master Cyclonis.

Aerrow glared at her, all the while being dragged by the Dark Ace to the centre of the room, where there stood a chair wrapped in chains.

"Have a seat Aerrow," laughed the Dark Ace, shoving him onto the chair.

Snipe locked Aerrow in with the chains while the Dark Ace went to stand behind Master Cyclonis.

"Remove his gag" she ordered Snipe.

When his gag was gone Aerrow shouted about how his friends would come and he'd never help the Cyclonians.

"Oh, but Aerrow, you will help me. Even if you don't realize you're doing it."

Laughing, she walked up to Aerrow holding two crystals in her hands.

"Do you know what these are, Sky Knight?" she asked holding them up.

Aerrow gasped, staring at the green crystal in Cyclonis' left hand.

"Oh, so you remember this one. Dangerous aren't they?" she asked waving the Hypnosis Crystal in his face.

"But what about this one?" she questioned, shoving the other in front of his eyes.

He shook his head. Master Cyclonis straightened up,

"Well," she said "you remember what happened to your Wallop friend when you used the Hypnosis Crystal on him. This," she said raising the other, red-brown crystal "is an Energizer Crystal. It increases the strength of other crystals. Imagine what will happen when I combine them and use it on you? Imagine what I could make you do!"

Aerrow's eyes widened, his expression horrified. Cyclonis laughed again, joined by every other Cyclonian in the room. Aerrow resumed struggling against his bindings, and Master Cyclonis approached him, crystals aimed directly at his head.

* * * *

The _Condor _sped towards Cyclonia through the Wastelands.

"Well this way worked once, am I right? I'm so right!" Finn said, bringing back old memories.

"Yeah, but won't they be expecting it then?" asked Junko.

It was Stork who answered, "Yep, they were."

Waiting just above the clouds where the _Condor_ came out of the Wastelands was a fleet of Talons.

"They're everywhere!" said Piper, "We'll never get through now!"

While the Talons shot at them, Stork turned the_ Condor_ around and dove back into the Wastelands.

"Hey," remarked Finn, "how come they aren't following us?"

Piper looked back too, "They must have been ordered to attack us but have to stay guarding it. We'll just make with another plan."

Piper sat at a table in the bridge pouring over all kinds of charts as she had been since their first failed plan.

Finally she jumped up shouting "I've got it! The most perfect plan ever!" Her face grew more serious,

"It's time to play another old trick" she said, holding up some purple Cloaking crystals, "okay, here's what we're gonna do…We know that Ravess is guarding the Wasteland entrance so it's safe to say Snipe's guarding another one, maybe the Dark Ace. Junko, I want you to lure Snipe away while Finn takes care of Ravess. But remember! You need to keep them from view of the other Cyclonians until I signal you. Load your cannons with Paralyzers and head back to the Condor when you're done. Then Junko and I will use the Cloakers to make ourselves look like them, sneak in, and grab Aerrow!"

"Sounds great!" said Junko with a smile on his face; Finn smacked his fist into his other hand, "Let's do it."

Snipe was guarding the top entrance as Piper had predicted and so Junko flew up to him form behind, a small smile on his face. Junko maneuvered his skimmer until he was close enough to touch the Cyclonian. He 'playfully' punched Snipe's arm and said as he flew out of range,

"Wanna play tag, you big bully?"

Snipe grinned and replied "I'll have no trouble defeating a pathetic little Gleep like you!"

They both blinked in surprise as Finn and Ravess blew past.

"I'll get you, you little PEST!" Ravess shrieked at Finn.

"You'll have to catch me first!"

He ducked down into the clouds. Snipe and Junko sat staring at the place Ravess and Finn had disappeared.

"Whoa" said Junko, breaking the silence and the battle continued.


	3. Chapter 3

Aerrow opened his eyes to see he was in a dank, dark cell. He sat up, rubbing his head and groaning.

"Wha-? Ohh…" he moaned, "Where am I?"

A laugh came from outside the cell,

"You're with me, Aerrow. It's such a shame you don't remember any of the _fun_ we had."

The Dark Ace laughed again, walking out of the shadows. Aerrow shook his head,

"What are you talking about?" he demanded.

The Dark Ace laughed harder, his whole body shaking with the force of it.

"You don't remember, Aerrow? But you and I did a little…training."

Aerrow just sat there looking confused.

"Here, maybe this will jog your memory!"

The Dark Ace unlocked the door and walked into the cell. Before Aerrow could react the Dark Ace grabbed him by the hair and half dragged him across the corridor to the opposite cell. Aerrow looked inside and breathed in a sharp painful breath. Inside the cell, still unconscious was Dove from Terra Gale and Suzy Lu, Sky Knight of Blizzaris. Aerrow didn't react except to repeat in a pained voice

"No! No, no, no!"

But he couldn't suppress the rising memories: He, Aerrow, flying down on his skimmer, attacking the Absolute Zeroes and the Rebel Ducks. Seeing their stunned, disbelieving faces as he destroyed their homes. "No" he moaned again. Then Master Cyclonis' voice whispered through the intercom,

"Dark Ace, bring me the Sky Knight, it's time for the first attack."

The Dark Ace grinned, dragging Aerrow out of the cell and to the bridge where Master Cyclonis stood waiting. In her hands were two familiar red-brown and green crystals. This time Master Cyclonis wasn't laughing as she once again approached Aerrow with the crystals raised.

* * * *

Back on the _Condor_, Piper, Junko and Finn were getting ready to leave when an all-too-familiar voice came through the radio.

"I have someone here who wants to talk to you," taunted the Dark Ace.

"Aerrow!" they all shouted.

"Guys" Aerrow acknowledged.

"Aerrow! Are you okay? What happened? Where are you?" T

hey heard only static. Then he answered one of the questions,

"I'm on my way to that _Condor _right now," suddenly his voice was mocking,"I hope you don't mind if I bring a few _friends_?"

The _Condor_ grew silent for a second, then,

"Aerrow, who was in there with you?"

Piper asked, her voice guarded. Instead of Aerrow answering, the Dark Ace started laughing, and then ended the transmission.

"Uh…Does anybody else think that was weird?" asked Finn.

Piper shook her head, "I don't know Finn, it just doesn't make any sense!"

Just then Stork, who, up until then had been silent, pointed to the West of the _Condor_, saying loud enough to get their attention,

"They're here."

Everyone ran up to the big window at the front of the ship.

"Well," said Junko expectantly,

"To your Skimmers," finished Piper.

While Piper and Stork stayed to help in the_ Condor_, Finn, with Radarr, and Junko flew toward the large squadron of Talons advancing toward the _Condor_. The battle wasn't very long, but it was confusing, especially for the Storm Hawks. Not only did Aerrow appear to be leading the attack on the _Condor_, he was flying side-by-side with the Dark Ace, and happy about it.

Piper ran to her room and started rummaging through her many piles of notes.

"Where is it, where is it!?" she yelled furiously to herself.

Then she straightened up,

"Right!" she cried victoriously.

Her victory was short lived as she ran into Aerrow's room and began searching through his bookshelf. A few minutes later she returned to the bridge, a small red book bearing the Storm Hawks insignia in her hands.

"Uh, Piper, this isn't exactly the best time for a novel!" cried Stork, swerving the _Condor _to avoid an onslaught of missiles.

"I know" she said, flipping through the pages, "but listen. Whatever the insanity going on is it reminded me of something I read a little while ago! About the old Storm Hawks."

She let out a small scream as the _Condor_ lurched to the side.

"We all know that the Dark Ace betrayed the old Storm Hawks and-" she was knocked down as Stork turned the _Condor _again. "-that Aerrow's dad was the leader of the Storm Hawks. This book tells a lot about the devastation this caused those Sky Knights who were friends with them. It says that they could barely hold off the Cyclonians. Eventually things calmed down though. But Aerrow is the new leader and the Storm Hawks are even more famous now, thanks to us."

"This is no time for self flattery Piper!" yelled back Stork, unloading a round of missiles at the Cyclonians.

"Sorry! What I'm trying to say is that if that kind of betrayal were to happen again…Atmos may not recover in time! What is Aerrow doing?!?"


	4. Chapter 4

Aerrow smiled to himself, how easy it would be to crush his old squadron. They would fall before him and soon he would be the most feared being in the Atmos! Without him to lead Piper would try to assume control, but her plans were elaborate and yet full of holes. She had not come out to fight with the others, hiding in the _Condor_ like a coward, he thought. At the moment he was chasing Finn, who had, a few moments ago been carrying Radarr. When Aerrow had gotten close to Finn's skimmer the stupid animal had tried to jump onto him. He had swerved out of the way, laughing and causing Radarr to unfurl his parachute. Now he approached Finn again. Aerrow stood up on his skimmer, preparing to jump. Finn looked back, his face full of terror and confusion, as Aerrow flew over him, landing on the wing of his skimmer and brandishing his twin blades.

"Nice to see you again, Sharpshooter" he said sarcastically.

"Aerrow what are doing?!? We're friends remember! Wait!" he screamed as Aerrow lashed out with his blade.

Then Aerrow fell to his knees, his blade inches from Finn's face. Finn opened his and saw what he least expected; Aerrow was not only kneeling, he was clutching his head in his hands and moaning, his eyes closed.

"Ah heh," Finn whimper-laughed, "Aerrow, you okay?" he asked hesitantly.

Aerrow opened his eyes and raised his head to look at him, Finn flinched away.

"Finn? Is it really you? They let me out?"

Then he looked around and something seemed to click in his mind.

"No!" he screamed, "Finn! What did I do? Is everyone alr-" Aerrow froze for a moment before slowly rising, he activated his blades again, "I hope I haven't been a bore? Sorry to leave you like this _but I have more important things to do_!"

His voice hardened half-way through the sentence. Finn barely had time to register what Aerrow was doing before he was in open air, falling fast. He hit the ground hard and heard a crack; he remembered nothing more except for Aerrow landing and walking over to him, a sneer on his face.

* * * *

Finn woke up to see Aerrow beside him in a cell, his face held in his hands.

"Aerrow?" Finn asked, his voice still heavy with sleep.

Aerrow whipped his head up his face showing intense pain.

"I'm sorry Finn!" he cried, his voice breaking as he continued, "I tried not to, but it wouldn't let me, I couldn't stop! And I'm sorry about your arm!"

As if on queue Finn was suddenly aware of the throbbing pain in his left arm. He looked over and noted that his arm was, thankfully, in a cast.

"They only let me put a cast on it because they want to use you too" explained Aerrow in a dead voice, avoiding the stare he received.

Finn sat up awkwardly, trying not to move his arm much. He reached tentatively to touch Aerrow's shoulder but his friend moved away.

"Aerrow" Finn tried again, "what was with you earlier, when you were" he hesitated, "attacking the _Condor_?"

Aerrow moaned and dropped his head in his hands again, his breathing erratic. Then slowly, after a minute, he raised his head, speaking to the wall,

"Master Cyclonis." He said her name like an explanation, and then continued, "She used a Hypnosis Crystal on me. She made me attack you and Terra Gale and Blizzaris. I couldn't help it."

His answer was a whisper until he called "I'm sorry!" across the hall to the other captives.

And suddenly Master Cyclonis was there, emerging form the shadows in the hallway. She opened the door and walked up to Aerrow, Paralyzing Finn in the process. Aerrow made no move against her. He sat unmoving on floor.

"I really must thank that old Sky Knight Carver. He was an incompetent idiot but I must say, I liked his idea of, how did he put it? Cyclonian mind control."

She reached out and lifted Aerrow's chin, so that he was looking at her smug expression instead his feet.

"What's the matter Aerrow? Where's that fierce, Sky Knight expected, defiance?"

Aerrow's face went hard and he shoved her hand away, but that was all.

Her smile grew, "I would have you angrier but this will change things won't it?" she cooed.

Aerrow's eyes widened and he reflexively shrunk away from the crystal. But Master Cyclonis held it to his eyes before he could shut them and he was overcome. His face lost all emotion and Master Cyclonis started whispering something to him, low enough that Finn couldn't hear. Then suddenly Aerrow's face was full of emotion, but the wrong kind. As he rose dramatically to his feet his face held and expression of hate and sick anticipation. Finn watched horror-struck, still Paralyzed as Aerrow changed before his eyes. This was no longer the Sky Knight and leader of the Storm Hawks, this was the traitor and blight of Atmos.

"Let's go visit your friends on Terra Rex, shall we?" Cyclonis offered, leading Aerrow out of the cell.

Though Aerrow never even glanced back, Master Cyclonis turned to look at Finn, lying motionless on the cell floor, triumph lighting her face.


	5. Chapter 5

The Rex Guardians stood in the street, leaning on their rides, watching the fleet of Cyclonians advance toward their Terra. There were thirty-five Cyclonians and one battle-airship. As they watched, two small figures broke from the main mass and dove into the Wastelands. Harrier's eyes widened momentarily but he directed his gaze back to the bigger threat. When the Talons were close enough he announced, his pompous tones ringing through the street,

"Let us commence this battle."

Seven engines roared to life as and the Guardians flew out to defend their homes. The Talons were at first confused by the Rex Guardians' fighting tactics and several were taken down easily. Harrier flicked his tied-up hair back over his shoulder and followed a group of four Talons flying over the Terra Rex stadium. One of them looked back and grinned gunning the engine and pulling away from him, they others following.

"You cowards!" Harrier shouted, chasing them.

He followed them until he realized they were playing with him and turned back to the main battle, disgusted. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed two figures fly out of the clouds and he remembered the same two disappearing into the clouds.

"They skipped half the battle! Those-" he managed to choke out, blinking rapidly in disbelief.

"Hey! You! Old man! Betcha' can't get us, you geezer!"

This time he did choke.

"You'll pay for that remark!" Harrier shouted, abandoning honour and diving toward the Talons.

They scattered away and rejoined over the stadium.

"Who knew?" one if the Talons said as they watched Harrier coming toward them, his hair frizzing out of it's band and a murderous look on his face, screaming his fury.

At the last second the Talons dove and landed, running into the stadium's interior halls. Harrier was right behind them and cornered them in the trophy room. The Cyclonians were staring around amazed at the trophies. _Best Polished Sky Ride_, and _Neatest Armor Award_ and _Most Acquainted With The Code Trophy_. They giggled like children at the awards and names of those who received them.

"At least I, unlike you, have had the pleasure of receiving an award!" Harrier shouted, causing the Talons to whip around in surprise.

Harrier activated his energy sword and placed it at the neck of the closest Talon, the one who had called him old. The man gulped and chuckled nervously,

"Forgive and forget?" he tried, eyeing the door.

There was a scrape of metal on metal in the hall and everyone glanced toward the door. _He _stepped into the room and said, feigning amazement,

"Wow Harrier, never seen you looking so 'disheveled.'"

The Cyclonians grinned, nudging one another and watching with eager eyes. Harrier glanced at them and then back to Aerrow,

"What do you want?" he demanded sharply.

Aerrow made an exaggerated 'I'm offended you'd talk to me that way!' motion and laughed once,

"Why, I'm here to help of course" he stated.

Harrier sniffed, "As if I need a child's help!"

The Dark Ace stepped around the doorway and laid a hand on Aerrow's shoulder. Aerrow looked at him with big, adoring eyes before turning back to Harrier and said,

"I never said I was here to help you!" and they laughed, long and cold, Aerrow and his once-enemy, the Dark Ace.

Harrier hissed when he realized the betrayal and the Dark Ace's grin widened.

"Let's let our little _friend_ take care of this." he said, and all the Cyclonians stepped back.

Aerrow and Harrier started to circle each other, identical sneers on their faces.

"You traitor!" Harrier shouted, "You're no better than him" he pointed toward the Dark Ace.

"Oh, it hurts _so_ much."

Aerrow replied sarcastically, and then he winked at one of the Talons. That Talon reached toward Harrier's turned back and tapped him on the shoulder. Harrier jumped, spinning around and Aerrow blasted him. Lying on the floor, Aerrow above him, both blades pointed at his neck, Harrier gasped,

"Do it, filth! Kill me!"

Aerrow rolled his eyes and de-activated his blades. The Dark Ace stepped forward, activating his own, eyes on Aerrow but Aerrow crashed the handle of his blade into Harrier's temple, knocking him unconscious.

"Good, Aerrow. I told you you'd make an excellent Talon"

and again Aerrow looked at his previous-enemy with eyes that reflected those of a child receiving praise from a father.

"Now," Dark Ace said, "get this old-fashioned Sky Knight out of here."

* * * *

He watched as his young mind-controlled nemesis dragged the unconscious Rex Guardian toward the airship, some unidentified emotion bubbling inside him. It was a strange mixture of satisfaction, loathing, awe and jealousy. Why couldn't they just kill the brat and- wait! He wasn't heading for the airship, somehow Aerrow had broken the mind-control, for he as heading into the trees, dragging the pompous oaf behind him. The Dark Ace whipped out his blade, already running, but left it off. Aerrow turned, too late, but his eyes revealed that he knew what was coming. The Dark Ace leaped into the air and brought the unactivated blade down hard on Aerrow's head. Aerrow fell to the ground, his conscious mind already somewhere else. He grabbed some rope from the nearest skimmer and barked at a random Talon,

"You! Take this one," and kicked Harrier's limp form toward him.

He then proceeded to bind Aerrow and then dragged him onto his skimmer.

"Fly!" he ordered the Talons, "Ignore the others; we got what we came for."


	6. Chapter 6

Aerrow's head collided painfully with the cell's floor. The Dark Ace stood over him but was watching Finn. Finn was glaring at him from across the cell but even the Dark Ace could see he was battling with himself, trying to force himself to attack. He laughed and, as Finn sprang forward, chucked a pink crystal at his face. It hit Finn in the mouth and he spat the crystal and a little blood onto the floor, wincing.

"Enjoy the show!" called the Dark Ace over his shoulder, walking out of the cell.

The door locked behind him and Finn waited until his footsteps faded before rushing over to Aerrow.

"Ow, dude, what happened to your face? It looks like…oh."

The imprint of the Dark Ace's blade crossed over half of Aerrow's forehead, down his nose and to his chin. Aerrow blinked several times and tried to sit up but ropes held him fast, he couldn't move. Finn tried the knots, and when he failed to untie them, attempted to snap the ropes.

"Hey, don't freak out at this" he told Aerrow as he bent down.

Uncomfortably, Finn bit the knots, trying to sever them, but gave up when his gums and lips got rope-burn. He fell back onto his legs, groaning in frustration.

"Try the crystal, it looks sharp." Aerrow suggested.

Finn looked at the pink crystal and frowned but agreed that it was sharp. He got up and walked across the cell,

"Wait" he said, "D'you know what kind of crystal this is?"

Aerrow shook his head no. Cautiously Finn picked it up with his sleeve and brought it back to Aerrow. He tried to saw through the ropes but the crystal kept slipping from his grip, so, taking a deep breath in case the crystal was carrying some evil power, he picked it up again, without the sleeve. As soon as the crystal came in contact with his bare skin it began to glow and Finn's hand tightened around it.

He cried out, "I can't let go!"

Pink smoke began to curl out of the crystal and Finn whimpered. Aerrow tried even harder to free himself but still the ropes held. Then the mist began to take shape, small shapes. A miniature Aerrow was walking down a hallway, blades in hand. Then he stopped, listening at a door. Muffled sounds came from the little scene, voices.

_"Forgive and forget?"_a small voice asked and the mini-Aerrow stepped around the doorway, into the room.

"The Dark Ace is holding the crystal, Finn" the real Aerrow said, his eyes closed.

He was watching the same thing from a different point of view.

_"As if I need a child's help!"_

they heard and the mini-Dark Ace stepped into the room too and a new scene unfolded; Harrier, his blade at a Talon's neck, three other Talons standing before some shiny trophies, and Aerrow glaring at the Rex Guardian. A hand, Dark Ace's hand, appeared on Aerrow's shoulder and Finn saw Aerrow turn to look at him, the_ Dark Ace_, with love in his eyes! Finn stopped breathing, staring now, at the real Aerrow.

_"Traitor!"_

echoed around the cell and Aerrow cringed away, Finn looked back at the mist-picture in time to see mini-Aerrow crash his little blades on the mini-Harrier's head. The pictures stopped and the mist evaporated. Finn stared at the crystal in his hand for a heartbeat before bending down and slicing trough the ropes binding his friend.

"Are you okay Aerrow?"

Finn asked when Aerrow had gotten to his feet.

"Do I look okay?"

Aerrow shouted back, balling his hands into fists and, leaning over Finn, raised his arm to strike him. Aerrow's eyes widened, he saw Finn shrink back and looked over to see his fist raised. He dropped his hands,

"I'm sorry Finn! Sorry! I wasn't- I just-"

Aerrow turned away, walking slowly to the cell door.

"CYCLONIS!"

he yelled, smashing his fist on the door, his voice ringing through the entire dungeons,

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME?"

In her chamber, the Master smiled.

"Preparing you Aerrow, preparing you."


	7. Part 2

**History, Part Two- **

**The Happening**

The cell door crashed open, slamming into the wall. The Dark Ace stalked out, dragging Aerrow by the hair to another cell farther down the hall. Aerrow cried out when the Dark Ace threw him, by the hair, around the door and into the cell. He landed hard on the floor, head crashing against the far wall. Dark Ace stood over his part time student, bent down and turned him onto his back. He grabbed Aerrow's chin and turned his face to the light.

"I must say Aerrow, you look much better with that on your face" he said, tracing the bruise his blade had left.

He laughed at the half-conscious boy in front of him and lifted a small jar out of his pocket.

"Ashes from you old uniform" he told him as he spread them over the bruise.

Aerrow winced and tired to pull away but the Dark Ace bashed his head off the floor and he froze. Then the Dark Ace pulled a crystal out of another pocket,

"This'll keep things together" he said and stroked the crystal over the bruise.

When the Dark Ace let go Aerrow raised a hand and felt his face, he gasped. The crystal had shaped a new layer of skin over the gray ashes, sealing them into him. He was permanently 'scarred.'

"Want a mirror?" Dark Ace laughed.

Aerrow glared and stood up, turning away. The cell was silent for a few moments, and then he heard the Dark Ace step toward the door. Aerrow whipped around lashing out with his foot. A red aura suddenly surrounded him and Aerrow was thrown off balance. Master Cyclonis stood in the doorway, crystal raised.

"You're fighting now, Sky Knight?" she asked, sounding disappointed. She walked into the cell. "Yeah, I am" he replied, "I can't give up now." Cyclonis glared, "Where'd your sudden inspiration come from?" she seethed.

Aerrow grinned,

"I saw the _Condor_. I knew they hadn't given up on me and so I won't give up either."

Cyclonis laughed, "Oh, and how do you know they weren't trying to find you to get the reward?"

Aerrow's smile fell, Cyclonis' got wider. Dark Ace stepped forward, bowed to Cyclonis and left the room. Aerrow's ears twitched, waiting for something. It didn't come. Cyclonis put the red crystal away and Aerrow was free.

"You are mine to control, Aerrow," she said, "but I'm tired of the hypnosis."

Aerrow held his breath.

"I'd much rather have you…permanently on my side" she continued.

"What do you mean? Don't think I'm just going to change sides!"

Cyclonis pulled an orange crystal out of her robe and held it up to show him. He'd never seen this kind of crystal before, it was florescent orange and shaped like an egg, but with a big hole in the centre.

"It's called a Persona Crystal. With it," she said, "I _can_ have you permanently."

Aerrow then felt something strange and unexpected, as if he was floating.

"I can reshape you, Sky Knight. Change your mind, oh, not your brain or the way you think, I like the way you think, but WHO you are."

Pressure built in his head, a throbbing headache.

"I can feel YOU," Cyclonis said, her eyes closed, she breathed deeply, "everything you are. And I can change it!"

Aerrow fell to his knees, doubling over and holding his hands to his head.

Cyclonis opened her eyes and laughed, "I can do anything to you! I could make you the perfect Talon, loyal and obedient to me alone! I could make you an empty shell, incapable of doing anything! Or," she put a finger to her lips thoughtfully, "I could make you forget your friends, your love for them and your hatred of me."

A pause, only Aerrow moved, shaking his side to side.

"You - Are - Mine!"

She stressed each word, leaning closer to him with each, "And you can't do a thing about it."

Then she stood up, laughing, and released his mind. It was not planned, Aerrow's action was reflex. He swung his leg up, knocking the crystal from Cyclonis' hand. She screeched her defiance and surprise and whipped around. But Aerrow was already out the door, the Dark Ace had left it unlocked. He ran down hallway after hallway, barreling through anyone in his way. Talons remained, for several hallways, oblivious to the fact that Aerrow was himself and not the Controlled Talon-Aerrow. Annoyed but not alarmed, the Cyclonians did not try to capture him until Cyclonis' voice yelled through the intercom,

"Get the Sky Knight! Get Aerrow!"

Weaponless and wanted Aerrow raced through Cyclonia, evading its Talons and running down random halls. He stopped dead when he arrived at the main hangar, staring across the room. The Dark Ace was waiting, blade raised and already grinning. Aerrow spun on his heel and sprinted back through the hall, he turned into the first unlocked door.

'_No!_' he thought.

He was in a dark, almost-empty storage chamber. He dove behind a pile of crates and waited, ears strained.

"You know this is futile, Aerrow" came the Dark Ace's voice.

He stood blocking the door, the only exit.

"I know you're in here" came the voice again.

Aerrow shivered, imagining slimy, crawling things twined with the voice, sliding over his ears. Dark Ace took one step into the room, listening also.

"Come out, come out, Sky Knight" he taunted, "Stop hiding like a little child."

Aerrow bristled but stayed his anger and slipped behind another pile of boxes.

"I've had enough of your childish games" the Dark Ace growled.

'_Oh, are you so eager to get back to sucking up to your Master?' _

Aerrow thought, but he kept his mouth closed and leaned around the boxes to see where the Dark Ace had gone. He fell backwards, gasping in surprise at seeing his enemy only a few inches away.

"Boo"

Dark Ace said, smiling. A flash of blue and for Aerrow everything faded to black.


	8. Chapter 8

Aerrow came into consciousness slowly. He felt calm and peaceful, like there was warm blanket between himself and the cold, cruel world around him. He heard a small voice at the back of his mind,

'_Get up! Fight! They're going to do horrible things to you soon, you need to get up!'_

He ignored the voice, floating on the layer of fog in his mind. He breathed in deeply, enjoying the relief the oxygen brought. He breathed in again and decided to open his eyes, despite the fact that they felt so heavy. When he did the light was blinding and he blinked rapidly until he could bear it. As his eyes adjusted he saw dim silhouette off to the side, near his feet. He blinked again, focusing on the figure. Their features became no clearer. Aerrow smiled and closed his eyes again, drifting away into the fog.

* * * *

Dark Ace stormed out of Aerrow's room. He stopped short when he nearly ran into his master.

"Dark Ace, you seem…exasperated," Cyclonis said, "You doubt my power."

Dark Ace shook his head,

"No Master, not your power. I-"

She held up her hand,

"Dark Ace, do not lie to me ever again."

Her voice took on a double tone,

"You doubt me but it will work, I _will not_ fail this time."

"Master, Aerrow has been in and out of consciousness for weeks now. Since you used that orange crystal! He doesn't seem to be able to stay awake long enough to even grasp where he is! Nothing has happened at all, we should get rid of him now before he can become a threat! If you wish I will do it now."

He reached up and grabbed the hilt of his blade. Cyclonis narrowed her eyes, her frown deepening.

"You are my top general, Dark Ace, and if you wish to keep it that way you will put aside your jealousy! Unless I am convinced the Sky Knight is not on our side, is free again, no one touches him! He is to be treated like any of my generals and if you disobey he will take your place. As of the time he wakes he is under your charge, you are responsible for anything that happens to him. Am I clear?"

Dark Ace lowered his gaze, looking down the hallway to the left,

"Perfectly clear, Master" he grumbled.

Cyclonis smiled and went into the room hosting Aerrow.


	9. Chapter 9

* * * *

Despite what she'd said to the Dark Ace in the hallway, Cyclonis did doubt. She'd never fully tested her crystal, there hadn't been time and she'd been too excited. Now she silently cursed her stupidity as she watched Aerrow lying absolutely still on the bed in front of her. There was a small hope that everything would work as, every time he'd woken up, Aerrow had been changed. His hair had gone from bright crimson to a dark red/black and his eyes! These she was most impressed with, the thing that gave her hope. His eyes had darkened also but strange orange flecks along the pupil had shown up, proving, to her, that the crystal was working. Soon, she thought, he would be hers, an emotionless slave, existing to do as she pleased. Of course, this was not as satisfying as Aerrow joining her willingly. She'd given him the chance, of course, every time he'd come back from a mission and the Hypnosis had worn off.

"_You can make it stop, Aerrow"_ she'd say,_ "All you have to do is relinquish your Knighthood, turn away from those who used to be your friends-"_

He'd cut her off, unfailingly, _"They are still my friends! I will not join you and when I get out of here-"_

"_You will be under my control or mind control! You will never be free unless you swear allegiance to me." Then she'd smile and go on, "You know you're 'friends' have given up on you. You're all alone Aerrow, so who are you fighting for? Ask yourself that. Where do you _really _belong?"_

Then she'd leave him brooding. Leave him and wait for his doubts to flourish. This strategy hadn't worked but she suspected that maybe it had helped her Persona Crystal change him. She glanced around, making sure she was alone and then, slowly, Cyclonis reached out and stroked Aerrow's cheek. He frowned in his sleep but did not otherwise stir. Cyclonis softly brushed the hair out of his closed eyes and bent down, smiling without humor.

"You're going to need a new name," she breathed, close to his ear. "You will no longer be Aerrow of the Storm Hawks" she chuckled once, "you will be-"

A Talon guard burst into the room, Cyclonis shot upright, "Master Cyclonis! The _Condor _was spotted just below the cloud line about five minutes ago!"

She sighed, rolling her eyes, "And why wasn't I told five minutes ago?"

"Um…"

"Never mind! Just find them and keep them away from this room!"

The guard nodded and ran off, looking relieved. Seconds later the first alarms rang through Cyclonia, red warning lights highlighting the creepy atmosphere of the castle.

Cyclonis looked back down at the bed and smiled. Aerrow slowly opened his new eyes, sitting up and glaring around. Silently Aerrow slid off the hard metal bed and stood before her. Experiment success!

"Master" He said, grinning .

* * * *

Finn groaned and stood up. He walked slowly to the door of his cell, putting his hands through the bars of the little window. He listened to the voices of the Sky Knights across the hall.

"-Haven't killed us yet."

"Think they're going to make us join like they did Aerrow?"

"Maybe they are waiting for _him_ to kill us, though he certainly had the chance before."

Finn sighed. In between planning to escape and fighting, the others had been trying to figure this out for weeks. At first the idea that Cyclonis would have all of the Sky Knights locked in the same cell had been ridiculous but now he was seeing why. Despite that they had been shackled and chained to separate areas of the cell he could see that fighting kept them occupied long enough to prevent any real planning. Speaking of plans, he missed Piper…and Junko…and Radarr, even Stork. He missed the _real_ Aerrow even though he'd seen the Talon version plenty of times. They'd made him taunt and gloat, but there was never actually any physical torturing and for that he was thankful. But seeing Aerrow working for Cyclonis was torture enough. His thoughts were interrupted by the pounding of running footsteps, something rarely heard in the dungeons. He slid his hands back through the bars and backed away from the door. Beside him he heard the Sky Knights fall silent as well and everyone listened. Seconds later the door of Finn's cell crashed open. Finn balked at the person in front of him. Dark Ace stood in the doorway _smiling_.

"It's time we took that cast off of your arm" he laughed.

* * *

_**Yes! Physical changes to Evil Aerrow! Mwahaha! (yes I'm crazy like that -.-) He woke up finally!  
**_

_**Anyone got any ideas on what to call Aerrow now, on occasion that is? Something...Dark Ace-ish that totally fits Aerrow and isn't a carbon copy of 'Dark Ace'...**_


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"Okay, Piper, now what?" Junko asked, stepping over a now-unconscious guard.

"Uh, I don't know. Let's just try to find Finn and Aerrow." She replied.

"You mean to say, you dragged us in here and you don't even have a plan?" Stork groaned.

Piper shrugged, her expression was guilty. "Well, I was mostly concentrating on trying to get _into_ Cyclonia and I didn't have to time to plan what we'd do inside."

Stork shook his head, sighing, and rubbed his temples, "So what do we do now?"

Piper shrugged again.

"When you lack a plan… improvise!" she said somewhat gleefully.

The last of the free Storm Hawks stalked cautiously through the corridors of Cyclonia, senses on high alert, weapons held at the ready. Slinking through the various and disturbingly empty passages of Cyclonis' palace they eventually came upon the dungeons. One of the doors stood open, swinging back and forth slightly on its hinges. Piper peered into the vacant room; she noticed a small pink crystal.

"Uh…Piper? I found the Sky Knights." Stork said, peeking through the bars of the adjacent cell.

"Junko." She said, not moving.

"I'm on it!" He agreed, activating his knuckle busters.

Piper walked into the cell, accompanied by Radarr. She glanced around quickly and cautiously picked up the Message Crystal. She heard the lock being smashed by Junko, the muted cheers of the Sky Knights. This was all background noise, her total concentration centered on the tiny pictures she was being shown.

"Aerrow…" she whispered sadly.

Piper pulled herself together, dropped the crystal back onto the cell floor and walked back to the small group gathered around in hall. She quickly noted the scraggly and famished appearances of the Sky Knights and ordered,

"Stork, take the Sky Knights back to the _Condor_ and get out of here. If we need to make a quick getaway we'll take _our _rides."

Stork looked grateful and started back up the passage but the others weren't so ready to leave.

"Who are you to make decisions for us, girl?"

"Piper," Starling said, "we…can help. We can still…fight."

Piper shook her head, "Thanks Starling but you can barely talk! All of you look like your going to fall over any second; you need to get out of here. We can handle it, right Junko, Radarr?"

They nodded. The Knights looked doubtful and only agreed to leave when Starling actually fainted. Of all of them she had the most physical damage from her battle with the Talon Aerrow and now it seemed her injuries were taking their toll. Suzi-Lu carried her, walking after Stork.

* * * *

It didn't take long to reach Cyclonis' throne room. In fact, it was a surprisingly short time. But logic-time and feelings-time are two very different measurements. To Piper it seemed to take forever. The silence, the darkness, and her own fears pressing down on her, suffocating her like an endless battle in her mind. At the door, finally, Piper cautiously glanced around the corner into the room. The she took a step forward and leaned farther in, the room seemed empty. Piper turned back to Junko and Radarr and was about to say something when she noticed their expressions and froze. Standing, blocking the corridor behind Junko was Snipe and because Junko was looking behind her and he wore her identical expression, she guessed that Ravess or at least the Dark Ace was behind her. Perfectly synchronized Piper and Junko and Radarr turned to look behind themselves.

"Well, isn't this a nice surprise!" Ravess said sarcastically, raising her bow.

"Too bad _we_ don't getta smush 'um!" Snipe complained.

Ravess just sighed and raised her bow higher, at eye level with Piper, before ordering them to get into the throne room. They entered cautiously, glancing around trying to see everywhere at once, searching for Cyclonis and for anyone who might suddenly attack. Like the Dark Ace…or Aerrow. Piper glanced up, following along the lines of the catwalk halfway up the walls. Then they were pushed to the centre of the room, into the circle of the Cyclonian emblem. Chains shot up, wrapping around their wrists and necks, preventing almost all movement. Cyclonis stepped out of the shadow of her machine, a small smile dancing on her lips. She twirled her staff in her hands, an odd orange crystal resting at one end.

"Hello Piper, it's so nice to see you, though the circumstances could be better. I'd like to introduce you to…some new friends of mine."

As she was speaking Piper was still looking around the room and along the catwalk. She noticed a deeper shadow about halfway along and stared harder, try to see who it was. She gave up and turned back to Cyclonis. She'd mentioned something about new friends?

Piper had a good guess on one of them, but she decided to play dumb and asked any way.

"So who are they?" she asked sweetly, innocently.

Cyclonis rolled her eyes and motioned to someone behind her. Piper glanced over at Junko. He was staring down at the chains, testing them, seeing if he could break free and fight if they got past the talking. Radarr growled quietly and Piper turned back to Cyclonis. Aerrow was with her. Actually, Piper wasn't sure if it even was Aerrow. He had the same hairstyle and the same height, but that was about it. His hair was more black than red, his eyes looked black against the pale skin of his face, and the 'scar' was gone. But she thought, the Sky Knight who'd told her that he now had a scar had been only half-conscious at the time…

"Aerrow?" she asked anyway.

Cyclonis shook her head, "Not any more. I'd like to introduce to you" she paused and placed and hand on Aerrow's back, pushing him forward slightly, "Blood Raven!"

Piper's face twisted with confusion, but then turned incredulous. The Storm Hawks shared a look, and burst out laughing. Cyclonis' face turned red in anger,

"What are you laughing at?!?"

Behind her Piper could see the Dark Ace, trying to hold in his own laughter and not quite succeeding. Aerrow's frown deepened and he balled his hands into fists but didn't move or say anything. She could hear Snipe giggling stupidly too.

"Blood Raven?" Piper asked skeptically, one eyebrow rose.

At this point Dark Ace actually choked. Recovering he said, face barely composed,

"I think it" he coughed, "fits him."

Cyclonis growled, as did Aerrow.

"Enough all ready!" Cyclonis snapped, silencing any remaining giggles. She took a deep breath, looking as if she was trying not to kill them all then and there, before she continued,

"I bet you're wondering why I've been collecting the Sky Knights."

"Death wish?" Piper mumbled.

Cyclonis ignored her, "I've decided it would be more fun if the sworn protectors of Atmos helped me to destroy it. Now that I can change them permanently to my side of this war, I can make them do it."

"Like you did Aerr-?" Junko asked.

Piper interrupted, "You said 'friends' earlier. Where's Finn?"

"What makes you so sure I was talking about _him_? I could have killed him already."

"No!" Junko exclaimed, Radarr howled, but Piper wasn't fooled.

"You wouldn't pass up having another Storm Hawk following you. He's still here."

Suddenly a crystal-infused arrow shot in front of her. Piper took this as an answer when she recognized it. Though the crystal was a Firebolt the crossbolt had the same eyes Finn always drew on his. Quickly she looked up at the catwalk, Finn stood there, face half in shadow.

'_Everyone's so…dramatic here' _Piper thought.

* * *

**_Sorry Flame Soldier for kinda mocking your suggested name. _**

**_And thanks to anyone who came up with a name for me! _**

**_It really helped...but I just couldn't do it! _**

**_It'd be too...wierd...calling Aerrow something different, although Cyclonis will keep trying to enforce it. _**

**_(I'm pathetic like that...*sigh*)_**


	11. Chapter 11

* * * *

"It wasn't that hard you know, to put him under mind control. His mind is too weak to fight back!" Aerrow laughed, revealing the green Hypnosis crystal.

Piper gasped. If her hands hadn't been chained to her sides they would have flown to her mouth.

"What's wrong?" Junko asked.

"It's _all_ wrong," she murmured, "he shouldn't be able to hold that crystal."

Radarr whined at her, his furry face questioning.

"He shouldn't be able to hold that crystal without the mind control being neutralized!"

Cyclonis laughed, "Mind control is so old-fashioned, and so…weak. Why use that when I have a much more rewarding and long-lasting method."

She absent-mindedly stroked the orange crystal in her staff.

"So why didn't you do the same to Finn?" Piper asked.

Cyclonis hesitated a second too long in answering, "He isn't worth it."

She flicked her hand dismissively as she said it, but apparently this was also a signal because Aerrow, Dark Ace and Finn (after a brief green pulse from the crystal in Aerrow's hand) leaned intently forward toward the 'prisoners.'

Piper nodded to the side, "Junko."

He moved his jaw, bringing out a turquoise crystal and clenching it between his teeth.

"Don't just stand there! Attack!" Cyclonis shouted, reaching for her own staff.

Junko quickly brought his head down and the chains binding him fell off as the crystal touched them. He touched the crystal to the chains around Piper and Radarr as the others launched into an attack. Ducking out of the way Piper yelled for Junko to give her the crystal. A blast of red energy hit her head, blurring her vision for a moment and she stumbled behind a pillar. She gasped; Aerrow was right beside her, leaning back on the wall as if they weren't in Cyclonia, like it was just a normal day on the _Condor_. But it wasn't and Piper tensed, pulling out and extending her staff.

"What did she do to you Aerrow?" she demanded.

He smirked but didn't answer. He twirled the Hypnosis crystal in his hands and then shoved off of the wall. Still smiling he turned to face her, tensing his own body for battle.

"Aerrow, please, don't do this! I'm Piper, remember? It's Cyclonis you hate!"

"Of course I remember you Piper. It's what _you_ have to remember; that loyalties can change. Because apparently mine have."

He struck out, putting what seemed all of his weight into the plow and Piper only just blocked it. Grunting with the effort Piper tilted her staff so Aerrow's blades slipped and then she threw him off. Reacting quick as ever, Aerrow jumped back, landing in a defensive pose.

Silently he appraised her a minute, and then said, "I see all your mourning for the loss of your Sky Knight hasn't impaired your fighting. But then let's kick it up a notch."

A brief anger flared in Piper at Aerrow's words. It sounded like he was teaching her; but again, Cyclonis probably wanted her as much as she wanted Aerrow.

There was a shout from one of the Cyclonians not far away and with a start Piper realized that while she and Aerrow stood apart and secluded Junko and Radarr were fighting Finn and a bunch of Cyclonians all on their own. She made up her mind quickly and dove out into the main battle as Aerrow made to strike her again. Dodging around the Talons, Piper ran for the ladder on the opposite wall; not only could she hope to loose Aerrow in the fray but she could gain back an ally. She jumped onto the ladder and climbed as fast as she could, reaching the top landing as Aerrow reached the bottom of the ladder. He glared up at her when she peered down, but he didn't climb after her. Instead he pulled out the Hypnosis crystal and started whispering into it, shooting pointed looks at Finn.

Piper pulled the Blocker out of her pocket where she'd dropped it after Junko threw it to her and ran along the walkway toward Finn. He met her with his Crossbow drawn and loaded, aimed directly at her heart.

"Fight it Finn!" she called to him before shrieking and ducking as one of the cross bolts narrowly missed her.

"Well if that's how it's gonna be, then fine."

Rolling over to avoid another shot from Finn she stuck the Blocker onto the end of her staff and jumped up, firing a blast of its energy at Finn. Remarkably her aim was true and the Hypnosis crystal in Aerrow's hand shattered as Finn was freed.

He shook his head, "Piper? How'd you-"

"Later Finn! Just shoot the Talons this time!"

Piper ran back to the ladder, scanning the room before she climbed down. She noticed Cyclonis standing, looking quite bored up on her little dais and with that odd, glowing orange crystal in her staff. A flash of understanding came to Piper as she saw this and she jumped down the ladder, only to find herself face to face with Aerrow.

"Eh…I was just…gah!"

She blocked another blow from Aerrow and their little battle continued, Piper never managing to actually hit him, but she kept herself protected pretty well. Finally Aerrow knocked her feet from under her and she fell, bashing her head against the floor again. Her vision darkened for a moment and when she regained her eyesight he stood above her, blades raised with the hateful look on his face usually reserved for the Dark Ace.

"Don't-" She started, but he quickly silenced her, bringing his glowing red blade to her lips. She whimpered in fear. He shook his head at her expression but leaned in slowly.

"How does it feel, Piper? To have the one you love, the one you trust, _destroy_ you?"

Eyes dancing with glee he stood tall once again and raised his blades, staring at them.

After a moment he looked back at her still form, lying on the ground, "I think it feels good."

Piper stretched her hand out, reaching along the ground for something anything to help as he swung his blades down.

* * *

**_You all realized how I glazed other the other 'battles' right? _**

**_Yeah well that's beacuse [this] time I spent a week staring at the keyboard without typing _anything_!_**

**_It was hard..._**

**_Anyway, Cheers!  
_**


	12. Chapter 12

* * * *

Her fingers touched something small, cold and rough. Not hesitating, she grabbed it and forced it upwards, to Aerrow's face. She heard a scream and with a shock she realized it was not hers. She cracked her eyes open and was surprised to see that Aerrow was now a few feet away from her, his face twisted in agony. He was doubled over, hands scrabbling at his head and screaming, she'd never seen him show pain before and so this was even harder to watch. Piper looked down at the crystal in her hands; it was her Blocking Crystal. Horrified at what she was doing, though it _was _necessary she reminded herself, she jumped to her feet and thrust the crystal at Aerrow again. He leapt back, hands still clutching his head, and away from the crystal. Piper took advantage again and ran toward Cyclonis. Whatever had been done to Aerrow had been done with that orange crystal and to fix it, she needed it. Cyclonis seemed to have gone into shock as Aerrow screamed because she didn't move her eyes from Aerrow's bent form as Piper leapt easily up the steps toward her. Only when she was a few feet away did Cyclonis regain control of herself and she lifted her staff in protection. With a yell Piper brought her own staff down on the orange crystal and it popped free from the staff and rolled across the floor.

"NO!" They both yelled, diving forward, through the legs of the other people fighting in the room. Perfectly synchronized the girls reached out for the crystal, their desperation showing on their faces. Cyclonis grunted, shoving Piper away and a smile flashed across her dark features. Before either could move to gain any other advantage Radarr flew into Cyclonis' face. Piper laughed and got to her knees, snatching the crystal as she made an escape.

"Junko, Finn, Radarr come on!" she cried.

Junko chuckled apologetically and punched out the Talon standing in front of him before he ran. Piper saw Radarr stand up and start after them as he landed from Cyclonis chucking him off her face before she turned the corner, Finn right behind her, and lost sight of the throne room. They ran for the hanger bay they'd arrived at, not looking back and as they passed through the last door they saw the _Condor_ waiting.

'_He better not be here because of engine trouble!_' Piper thought as they ran for their lives. The boarding ramp lowered as they came closer, the engines roared to life and they ran harder. Piper could hear shouts and pounding feet behind her as they raced into the ship.

"Punch it Stork!" Piper cried, flying past the Sky Knights as she headed for the bridge.

Standing by the big, almost-360-view windows Piper could see the Cyclonians falling away as they rose higher. Luckily none of them were smart enough to hop onto any of the skimmers sitting close by and pursue them.

"I thought you were leaving?" she asked Stork.

He sighed, "The Sky Knights threatened to destroy the engines if we abandoned you guys."

Piper rolled her eyes and glanced back down, and then wished she hadn't. Though he stood farthest back and wasn't shaking his fist or yelling curses at them, Aerrow still looked angry that they'd escaped, and she felt a kind of aching pain in her chest as she watched him. She held up the crystal in her hand and made a promise, to herself or to Aerrow she didn't know,

"I'll get you back, Aerrow. Cyclonis won't control you forever, you don't belong to her. Whatever she's done, I swear I'll fix it!"


	13. Chapter 13

* * * *

Cyclonis was fuming, her hands clenched into fists as she glared down at the Talons in front of her.

"There were only two of them! How could you lose to-?" She seemed too infuriated to continue.

Cyclonis turned away in disgust. "Go!" she ordered them, "Before I use you all for-"

There was a swish of fabric and air and the room was emptied. Only one nervous Talon stayed behind, sweating and shaking.

"Um…M-Master C-Cyclonis?" he stuttered, "We d-did manage to capture o-one of them."

He held, at arm's length, a bound and gagged Radarr, struggling wildly. He whimpered.

Cyclonis wasn't impressed. She hissed under her breath and turned her body back toward the Talon, glaring. Slowly she raised her left hand; the machine behind her placed a small purple crystal on her palm. She considered the stone a moment before blasting the Talon. He disappeared in a haze of purple and Radarr fell to the floor.

"They may not work on friends…" she muttered absently to herself, walking over to Radarr.

Cyclonis stared down at him, looking slightly disgusted, until Dark Ace entered with Aerrow following close behind.

"Master" they said together, bowing slightly.

"I believe this is yours, Aerrow?" Cyclonis said harshly, gesturing toward Radarr.

He raised an eyebrow at Radarr tied up and laying in furry heap on the floor but left him there for the moment. The throne room was silent for a few minutes except for Radarr's occasional whimpers and creaks from Cyclonis's machine.

Eventually Dark Ace shoved Aerrow forward and said jeeringly, "Don't you have something important to say?"

Cyclonis looked up expectantly.

"Master…" he hesitated, "the Sky Knights are…gone."

"Gone? Gone! You incompetent fools! First you let the Storm Hawks- no; TWO of the Storm Hawks- slip through your fingers AGAIN……and now you've let the Sky Knights escape."

She said the last part quite calmly, further unnerving her top commander and prize 'captive'. And suddenly she was laughing; clutching her sides, throwing back her head and laughing. It was eerie, a dark laugh on the verge of sounding insane.

"And she has my crystal!" Cyclonis giggled.

Dark Ace looked ready to call the Sky Paramedic's of Cyclonia and Aerrow just looked stunned as they stared at the girl. Even Radarr had stopped trying to escape to stare.

"All the Sky Knights…" she wheezed, "and Piper's got the crystal!"

Aerrow looked at the Dark Ace, "Do you-?"

"No idea."

Between gasps for air Cyclonis explained her sudden good mood, "She can't work it! They'll all become mindless zombies until someone rearranges them!"

"Rearranges what?"

* * * *

The _Condor_ was in a state of panic. Not only had they just discovered that Radarr was missing but something had happened to Stork.

He was now lying prone on the bed in his room, Piper and Starling having just set him down.

"What happened Piper?" Starling asked, spraying herself with one of the many cans of disinfectant lying around.

"I'm not too sure. Finn noticed Radarr wasn't on the bridge and then we had that big search all over that ship…I was- am- really worried and I was trying to think of where else we could search. I don't want to believe he's still on Cyclonia. But Stork tapped my shoulder and…I spun around…the crystal! I had that orange crystal in my hand and I think I hit Stork with it. Then something weird happened…" she trailed off as they left the room and headed back toward the bridge, weaving through the other Sky Knights.

"That crystal just knocked him out? Or did you activate it?"

"I activated it…and…I saw…_him_" Piper whispered more to herself than Starling.

"'_Him'_ who?" Junko asked, falling into step with them as they entered the bridge.

"Uh…" Piper was still lost in thought, "'_Him_' Stork."

"So you saw him and then you hit him?" Starling asked, confused.

"No, I turned around and hit him with the crystal and it activated and I saw _him_."

"'_Him_' who?!?!"

"Stork! I saw _him_! Who he was and…I saw Stork's mind, okay?!?!?"

"You…saw his…mind?" Junko and Starling synchronized.

"Yes!" she exclaimed, glad she'd finally made a point, "only it was like I had access to it, like I could rearrange it."

She stopped for a moment, trying to find a way to phrase her thoughts.

"How can I explain this? Hmm…It was like one of Kibur's Ebucs!"

Starling flinched back at her triumphant outburst, her face bemused, "A what?"

"What's an 'ebuc'?" Junko asked, rubbing his chin.

Piper slapped her hand to her forehead and walked over to a pile of boxes shoved under their meeting table. When she straightened back up, she held a small multi-coloured cube in her hand, each face made up of nine littler squares,

"Most people think Erno Kibur, the creator, was just trying to increase sales with a funny name; 'ebuc,' when you spell it backwards is 'cube.' It's a puzzle- just never mind."

She started twisting the faces of the cube and after a few moments each face had one solid colour.

"This" she said holding it up, "is going to represent how I saw Stork's mind."

She twisted a few of the faces around for emphasis as she said, "If Cyclonis used this crystal on Aerrow-"

Piper started twisting the faces again and when she held it back up there was one white middle square surrounded by all red cubes on each side. "This would be how Aerrow's mind is right now. I know this sounds kinda corny but, deep down he's the same as ever." She pointed to the white squares, "while on the surface," she ran her finger along the edges of the face, "_he_ is being blocked."

Starling stepped forward and took the cube from Piper, "So you're saying that his mind has been changed? Covered up?"

"Sort of. But more like it's been rearranged, so that you wouldn't be able to tell he's that same person."

"But he can be fixed? Changed back?" Junko asked hopefully.

"Well…" Piper hesitated, knowing how hard the answer was going to be. She took a deep breath and Junko's tiny smile disappeared.

"No! It's not like that! It's more like…both and neither."

* * *

**Just letting everyone know I'm still alive.**

**I've had writer's block and I couldn't even write a one-shot mini thing! **

**No inspiration whatsoever.**

**I've been staring at that one spot in [both] my stories for weeks (not to mention school's started and I went camping the week before...)**

**Well, I tried and I hope this at least makes sense and has started something so I can write more, **

**but either way Piper's got a tiny glitch in her plan doesn't she? We'll see how that works out eventually won't we?**

**I've sort of got the next part so it won't take as long...possibly... **

**_Cheers till then though!_  
**


	14. Chapter 14

_**Chaptah 14! I didn't think I'd get this far! Ah, I'm all jittery-excited now!**_

_**Hope I explained this well/clearly enough...  
**_

* * *

"None of us know Aerrow well enough to fix what's been done," Piper explained,

"Unless the process of rearranging leaves 'scar's so I can tell what exactly what has been changed…Cyclonis is the only one who knows him well enough to be able to put him back how he was but she will never do that! If we try to change Aerrow back without knowing him as completely as Cyclonis does, we could leave out something important, some motivating factor that makes him who he is…or was."

She took a breath and continued,

"If we left out even one factor like that he could become an entirely different person than the two versions of Aerrow we know now. _One_ thing left out and he wouldn't be able to make the decisions he makes normally, all of his thoughts and reactions that dealt with that thing previously would be different and who knows what could happen!?!?"

"That's heavy stuff…what if you use that crystal on Cyclonis?"

"That won't work either. If I change _her_ then it won't _be_ Cyclonis and she won't know Aerrow to fix him. Does that make sense?"

"Yeah, in an extremely annoying way. It's like Cyclonis planned this whole thing out so we can't get Aerrow back."

"Noo! Why would she do that Finn?" Piper's voice dripped with so much sarcasm you could practically see it, "I mean, _why_ would she want _us_, her _enemies_, be able to get a prisoner of war that she's wanted since _forever_ back when-"

"Hey! Okay, I get it. Calm down Piper!"

Piper sighed, rubbing her temple, "Sorry Finn, I'm just worried and really frustrated. Why us? Why Aerrow? She could use any other Sky Knight she wanted…"

"Didn't you say something about how using Aerrow, as the leader of the new Storm Hawks, would have a bigger effect? Besides, he's one person least likely to turn and join Cyclonia. It's already been a huge advantage, I mean; he _did_ capture all the Sky Knights…"

"Not _all_ the Sky Knights, Junko, _most_ of them" Piper countered hotly.

"Stop it, all of you. Arguing back and forth about what's happened isn't helping us find out how to save Aerrow _now_," Starling cut in.

"What about hypnosis?" Finn suggested.

"Finn didn't we already-"

"Wait! Listen! If Cyclonis can make a hypnosis spell powerful enough to make Aerrow and me attack you guys then Piper should be able to at least make one powerful enough to get Cyclonis to fix Aerrow."

"Finn we don't know if it'll work!"

"So try it on one of us first!"

"What? You mean make you evil and then go under hypnosis to see if you can get me to fix you?"

"No, hey, not like that! Just change something minor and then Starling or one of the others can put you under hypnosis and see if they can get you to fix it. But it has to be a little change! Remember how just after Aerrow…captured Harrier, Cyclonia went silent? You didn't hear anything for weeks did you?"

"No…"

"That was when she used that crystal on Aerrow. It took weeks to change him to how he is now. I'm sure if you just changed something small it'd only take a few hours at most."

There was brief period of silence as everyone present considered this.

"It's worth a try Piper" Starling said after a while.

"Fine" Piper agreed grudgingly.

"Excellent," Starling said taking charge, "But you should probably use the crystal on Stork. It may not be very…uh, healthy to leave him like that."

-

Piper stood next to Stork in his room, fingering Cyclonis' crystal.

What would be small enough to change? She wondered.

"Ready Piper?" Starling asked.

She was only other person in the room, having decided it might be safer for everyone if Piper could work in silence what with the crystal's full power and range being unknown.

Piper took a deep breath, "Ready as I'll ever be, I guess."

Starling smiled reassuringly and limped out of the room.

Sorry Stork, Piper whispered mentally.

She brought her other hand up to hold the crystal in both and closed her eyes. Aiming it at Stork's head she activated it and was overcome by the strangest feeling of release and power.

* * * *

"Dark Ace, Aerrow, I have a job for you" Cyclonis breathed through the shadow of her hood.

Said servants stepped forward, waiting for her orders.

"If you work quickly we may be to use your failure to my advantage. The Storm Hawks have most of the Sky Knights aboard their ship. With all them in the _Condor_, their Terras will be unprotected. I will be sending my Talons to conquer them but while they do…I want you two to go to Atmosia. Hold the Sky Knight council under siege until one or all of the Sky Knights arrive, then kidnap the Head of the council and bring him here."

"Wouldn't it make more sense just to kidnap the Head of Council and leave _before_ the Sky Knights arrive?"

"Those are my orders Aerrow and you will carry them out. If you choose to disobey, the Wastelands are right through those doors."

"I'm not about to disobey Master Cyclonis, I just fail to see the logic-"

"I forgave it once because you are new, I forgave it twice because you are valuable to me, but if you question me again you become a liability and I _will_ kill you. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Master" He agreed, silently cursing her.

"Good. Go round up the best Talons you can find and prepare the siege party in the left hanger but wait for the Dark Ace. He will be your commanding officer."

He left, turning back to glare at her over his shoulder. When his footsteps had faded and the door slammed shut Cyclonis spoke again,

"_You_ see the logic, the point of waiting until the Sky Knights get there?"

"Yes, Master. You wish for the council to see for themselves that it _is_ Aerrow who betrayed them, for them to see how far under your control he is."

"Indeed. Seeing Aerrow fighting against his own squadron will be the ultimate truth. They will have heard what has been going on and will have come to their own conclusions, undoubtedly wishing for him to have been playing along with my plans. A double, double agent as they say."

He grinned and turned to leave.

"And Dark Ace?" she called him back, "If you see any sign that my changes to Aerrow have or _are_ being reversed, the plan is to be aborted, the Sky Knight immobilized and brought back here."

"Of course, Master"

But he was smart; he did not ask how she would change the boy again now that her crystal was in the Stork Hawks' hands. He left the room in silence, his mind now focused on his mission.

* * *

_**Ooh! A seige! How exciting, eh?**_

_**Let me know if all that crystal stuff earlier was too complicated, or poorly written. I tried.**_

_**When I say 'let me know' I mean **_**review.**

**_Reviews make me all jittery-excited too! (I'm not entirely sure it's not dangerous to my health but whatev.)_**


	15. Chapter 15

* * * *

Starling groaned as she saw the result of Piper's tinkering in Stork's mind. It was disturbing to say the least. Stork was smiling now, and hugging people.

Starling had gone into the room an hour after Piper had finished, when Stork had woken up.

He'd smiled and laughed, jumped out of the bed and hugged her. She was surprised, to say the least, that Stork had touched her, let alone _hugged_ her!

Starling ran out of the room as fast as her crutch let her and looked for Finn and Piper.

"He's, uh…awake, I suppose."

"You suppose?"

"See for yourselves."

She followed them to Stork's room, which she'd locked from the outside, and entered last.

"Hey Piper! Hi Finn!" He called enthusiastically from the open window, waving.

"Whoa" Piper stopped, dumbstruck, "I didn't change him that much!"

"Heh, I like this Stork better than the other one!" Finn happily stated.

"I'm still me you know, just…different!"

"Okay, before he does something too creepy let's get this over with. Finn, the crystal?"

He handed the green hypnosis crystal to Starling and backed against the wall.

"Ready Piper?"

Said girl nodded and took the small mind-changer crystal from the pocket of her pants.

Starling pointed her crystal at Piper, both girls went rigid.

"Piper, change Stork back to how he was." Starling ordered.

Nothing happened, Piper didn't move.

"You have to be specific" Finn explained, exasperated.

Starling turned to glare at him.

He held up his hands, "Whatever. If you want more hugs, then by all means-"

Starling growled and turned back to Piper, aiming the crystal once more,

"Piper, use the mind changer crystal to rearrange Stork's mind to how it was before you changed it." She sucked in a breath and waited.

Again nothing happened.

Starling screeched in frustration and threw the crystal to the ground, rounding on Finn.

"Hey! I said we had a chance! Don't kill me!" Finn ducked, covering his face.

Starling stamped painfully out of the room, heading for the hanger bay.

Whimpering, Finn stood back up. He walked over to the hypnosis crystal Starling had thrown and released Piper.

"Did I fix him?" She asked.

"Nope!" Stork cried happily, "I feel as good as ever."

Piper shivered, "That is seriously creepy. I didn't know paranoia and _doom_ were so little in your mind."

"Piper, try looking for those scabs or whatever you said might be on his mind."

"Scars, Finn. I guess we don't have any other choice though. Here goes nothing."

She held her crystal out to Stork and activated it.

The feeling was like being in a huge dark room, the only light coming from small squares floating around. Looking closer you realize the squares are memories and morals; everything that makes someone's personality, condensed into separate little spaces.

Searching around Piper noticed one square that was different. Instead of glowing white like the others it was dark, dragging near the bottom of the 'room.' She picked it up and, as she did so, discovered it the one she had changed. Acting on instinct, or instruction generated by the crystal, she carefully folded the darkened piece of Stork's mind using complex algorithms. When she finally unfolded the square to look at her handiwork, it was glowing a nice white colour, the change reversed.

Deciding not to snoop around in Stork's mind any longer Piper forced herself back to her own mind and dropped the crystal.

"There." she said, gasping for air, "That wasn't…so…hard."

"Wasn't so hard? Dude, you've been out of it for half an hour."

"Half an hour? But-"

"Did it work? Could you see what you did?"  
"I think so…and yes"

"Good," Starling said, appearing in the doorway, "Because we've got a problem on Atmosia."

* * * *

"We're just gonna waltz right in there?" Aerrow asked the Dark Ace.

"Yes." The older man growled back…again.

"Then lock the doors and hold our swords up to their throats?"

"Yes!"

"And I cover two of them 'cause I have two blades?"

"YES! Shut up asking stupid questions and WALK!"

Aerrow smiled under his hood as people in the streets turned at Dark Ace's shout. He kept his mouth closed only to the next block, "And when the Sky Knights get there we run away."

"Yes…" The answer was lack-lustre, disappointed and exasperated.

"Figures…never get to have any fun…"

Dark Ace growled again. Aerrow moved over a step, nearly tripping on his disguise.

"Should we _strike up _a _fancy_ conversation as we '_waltz_' in?" Aerrow asked jokingly as they came to the doors of the council hall.

There was no answer so he shrugged and walked forward by himself to throw open the doors.

With no hesitation in his step Aerrow walked across the red carpeted foyer and up to the raised counter where sat the advisers of the Terras.

"You see?" said their Head as Aerrow paused before them, "I told you the Sky Knight was only acting for Cyclonis."

"Acting? Really, how come I come I was never told I was only acting?"

The council paused.

"Oh, that's right, because I'm not." he laughed.

Drawing out one of his blades he flipped over the counter and set, rather calmly, his glowing red dagger at the Head of Council's throat as the Dark Ace strolled into the hall, a few dozen Talons and a leashed Radarr following him. Throwing off the robe he'd been disguised in he walked over to the radio in the corner of the room and opened a channel.

"This is the Atmosia Council calling the Storm Hawks," he announced rather joyously, "I'd like to speak to Piper as soon as possible."

Grinning, he motioned to one of the council to join him. "Just tell them exactly what happened and what you think _will_ happen. I'm sure they'll understand." He activated his energy blade as the old man hobbled closer.

Gulping he picked up the radio in his shaking hand.

"This is Piper, of the Storm Hawks. What's happening? We received a transmission of Cyclonian ships being seen near there." There was a pause. "Is everything okay? Hello?"

Dark Ace brought his lit blade closer, motioning for the man to speak,

"This is Sky Knight Council-" he placed a hand over the radio, "You want them here?!?"

"Don't look so confused, it's rather simple. I believe it's called an ambush." He said sarcastically, laughing.

The old man held up the radio again, "The Cyclonians _are _here. The Dark Ace and the traitor, _Aerrow_," he spat the name, "are holding us under siege. We need your help-"

"I think that's enough," the Cyclonian commander interrupted, dropping the radio back into it' cradle. He grasped the man by the arm and swung him back in the direction of the others, shoving him forward.

The remaining Talon soldiers hung back, covering the windows and door, waiting for the _Condor_. Radarr was released and ran over to Aerrow, climbing onto his shoulder. He whined apologetically to the Sky Knight council.

* * * *

"Are they crazy?" Piper asked of no one in particular, "We have all the Sky Knights in one place and they call us over to fight?"

"How do you mean 'call us'?"

"That radio transmission was obviously allowed to happen, ordered to happen! The Dark Ace wouldn't be that stupid. Neither would Aerrow. They want to fight us…"

"Well, we don't have _all_ the Sky Knights-"

"Junko!"

"And anyway, they're all in pretty bad shape. Starling can't even walk properly!"

"I can walk just fine thank you very much!"

Everyone shrugged.

"I can still fight!" She snapped.

No one disagreed with her there; they'd seen her working out on the Condor's flight deck (there were still charred marks on the metal).

"Junko, I have a bad feeling about this, but turn the ship around, we're going to Atmosia."

* * * *

"I still don't get how you and me are going to defeat all the Sky Knights by ourselves."

"They _don't_ have all the Sky Knights! But the twenty odd Talons don't register with you?"

"Not at all. They may be good for a distraction but seriously, do these guys have any training at _all_?"

They were interrupted as a green 'stached Cyclonian broke from his post at the window.

"Sir," he spoke only to the Dark Ace, "the Storm Hawks have just arrived."

* * * *

Piper, Finn, Junko, Starling, Harrier, Dove, and one of the other Rebel Ducks descended slowly down the _Condor_'s boarding ramp.

"We don't have Stork, Radarr or any of the other Sky Knights, we're fighting Aerrow, and most of you guys are in pretty bad shape…but I think we'll do okay?" Piper finished lamely as they hit the cobbled streets.

They walked at Starling's pace to the council hall. There was no sign of anyone outside.

Stalling, Piper asked, "Dove? Are you sure you can use that staff one-handed? You wouldn't prefer something else?"

"Non, I am fine, don't warry about me."

They stood outside the door for a few more moments.

"Uh…shouldn't we go inside?" Finn asked.

Everyone nodded but nobody stepped forward.

Everyone tensed as the doors started to open from the inside, but there was no one there.

Their faces scrunched in confusion, the seven-some from the _Condor_ crept cautiously into the Hall.

"Where is everyone?" Someone whispered.

"Maybe they left?"

"We'd have to go to Cyclonia again to get the-" Piper froze; everyone behind her nearly tripped but did the same.

"What is it Piper?" Junko asked.

"Someone sneezed," she pointed to an empty corner, "over there."


	16. Chapter 16

* * * *

"Someone sneezed over there…Look out!"

They ducked under the sudden shower of energy blasts as dozens of Talons and the Sky Knight council appeared as if from thin air. They rushed forward to surround the small group as Aerrow and the Dark Ace appeared at the council's sides.

They didn't bother to join in the fight, just watched with calculating eyes.

Radarr whined and leaned toward the Storm Hawks, tugging pointedly on Aerrow's shirt. Aerrow grabbed his tail to hold him back, "You're staying with me this time, and _we're_ staying here."

Radarr growled. Aerrow turned his attention back to the skirmish in front of him.

As usual the Talons were loosing despite the advantage they had over the wounded Sky Knights. He watched as Piper swept her staff across in a wide arc, the resulting energy release taking out at least ten Talons at once.

Aerrow sighed, climbing onto the top of the counter, "See? I told you. Good for a distraction, but…" he jumped into the middle of the fray without finishing his sentence. Radarr jumped off his shoulder as he looked around for Piper.

* * * *

Dark Ace smirked at him. Another useful distraction, but he saw what Aerrow meant about the Talons now that he really looked.

He grabbed the Head of Council by his upper arm, steering him to the back of the room and down a hallway.

"You're running away?" The old man asked incredulously.

"No" Dark Ace growled back as they came to a door leading to the outside, "just using a distraction to my advantage."

When he got to Cyclonia he'd just tell his master that the _girl_ had used the crystal and the Aerrow'd been captured, which he probably would be. It was nice thought for him; now he could finally destroy the brat kid instead of working _with_ him!

* * * *

Aerrow swung his blades down over Piper's head, she blocked just in time and they continued where they'd left off on Cyclonia. Aerrow attacked again and again slowly forcing Piper back to the wall. She kept blocking his attacks but had no chance to attack back, her staff too long and awkward in the closeness of their battle. She let out a little shriek as one of Aerrow's blades embedded itself in the wall just over her head. When it didn't come out he just left it and continued fighting with one.

Piper's shriek had caught the attention of the others who quickly finished off the last off the Talons and ran over. They watched without knowing how to help as Aerrow's attacks came faster and the risk of hitting Piper increased as the danced around in their fight.

Harrier watched their faces, their looks of concentration and got an idea. He turned to Junko and whispered his plan; Junko nodded back looking a little sick and looked around for Radarr.

He was standing next to Starling. Junko motioned him over and whispered Harrier's plan into his ear; Radarr backed away shaking his head.

"I won't hurt him! Radarr…"

Radarr whined his displeasure but followed Junko around the people watching the fight. Piper was strong, but Aerrow was stronger and was winning over stamina.

Radarr watched, waiting for his moment to act but knowing he had to hurry. It came and Radarr leapt up, landing on Aerrow's shoulder and wrapping his furry hands around his head. Junko stepped forward at the same moment.

Aerrow froze for the smallest second in shock, then reached up and grabbed Radarr's shirt, whipping him off of his head. His eyes widened as Junko, who was suddenly in front of him, reeled back his arm and threw a Wallop-sized punch at his head.

He collapsed to the floor.

* * * *

"Is he gonna be okay? I didn't kill him did I?!?" Junko asked, wringing his hands in distress.

"He'll be fine, Junko. I'm sure he'll have one heck of a headache, but Piper can change him back now!"

"Wait," Finn called holding up his hands and glancing around, "Where's the Dark Ace?"

Everyone looked around as two of the Sky Knight council members looked cautiously over the top of the high counter.

"It's over?" One of them asked.

"Yeah, what happened to-?"

"The Dark Ace ran off some time ago."

"And the other council member-?"

"-was taken as his hostage, yes."

Cursing, Starling turned around and headed for the door.

"Junko, grab Aerrow and come on…you too Piper. The rest of you get some villagers to help you and get these guys," she kicked an unconscious Talon and swore again at the resulting pain in her damaged leg, "and throw them into the Wastelands or tie them up or something!"

* * * *

The locals were only too enthusiastic to help Finn, Dove, Harrier and the other Rebel Duck tie up the Talons and so the job was done much quicker than anyone expected. Saying their thanks the four left the Hall and walked quickly up the street. As they neared the _Condor_ they heard several loud crashes from inside. Looking first at one another and silently agreeing, they pulled out their weapons and charged inside expecting more Cyclonians.

They found no one as they ran through the corridors of the ship following the sounds of the crashes. They turned a corner and found Piper and Starling staring through an open doorway into a room where the crashes seemed to emanate.

"What's going on?"

"Aerrow." Piper answered simply.

"He woke up? Already?"

There was another crash, this time followed by a shout of pain. Junko hopped out of the room clutching his foot.

"Cabinet fell on my foot…ow!" He explained before anyone could ask.

"What's going on in there?" Finn asked, poking his head around the door.

Aerrow was chained to the wall by three separate chains: one around each wrist and one around his waist. The furniture in the room had been turned over and kicked to the far side where the door was. This was the source of the crashes, Finn assumed.

Suddenly Aerrow, who'd been standing against the wall as Finn inspected his temporary prison, lunged forward, aiming a punch at Finn's face. Finn reeled back then watched as Aerrow's arm came out the full extent of the chain, whipping him back and to spinning him to the right.

He stumbled when he landed and turned to glare with black eyes at Finn.

* * * *

"Why can't you fix him?"

"He's resisting! Every time I try to get into his head he does…_something _and forces me out! Not to mention that every time I come anywhere close enough to use the crystal he attacks me."

"He can't reach you-"

"That's beside the point! It makes it harder. To use the crystal at all on Aerrow…we don't even know if I can!"

"You can do it Piper!" everyone encouraged. "We've all seen you do lots of cool things with crystals. And besides, the mind changer crystal leaves scabs right, use those."

"You've been listening to Finn to much. It's _scars_!"

"Whatever. You just need to wait for Aerrow to calm down or fall asleep then you can use the crystal."

"I…You're right. It's just hard, that's all, what with Aerrow…"

"We know. Don't worry about it."

* * *

_**Something doesn't feel...**_**right**_**...about this chapter, but maybe that's just me.**_

_**...?**_


	17. Chapter 17

_**Okay, a little editing, I added some more, kinda like a second half...**_

_**I would still like some reviews from other people instead of Evil Squid 'cause I **_**can_ just email her the rest if she's the only one reading this...(oh...threat!)_**

**_Please and thanks!  
_**

* * *

* * * *

"Do you know why you're here?"  
"No." The answer was curt and it cut the semi-darkness like a knife.

"Hm, I would have expected the key figure in Atmosian government to know the answer to such a simple question as that. But if you really don't know…" She trailed off, waiting for him to speak up.

She continued, "…If you really don't know then I see no reason for you to be here at all. Dark Ace, throw him into the Wastelands."

The Talon commander stepped forward, placing a gloved hand on the old man's shoulder.

"You want to control the entire Atmos." The elder mumbled quickly.

Cyclonis turned, "What was that?"

"You want to control me like you did the young Sky Knight and use me to force your control on the Atmos."

"Oh, good guess, but not quite."

The man started.

Cyclonis smiled.

"I _am_ going to control you like I did the Sky Knight, but I'm also going to get _you_ to control the rest of the council and they, in turn can control the Sky Knights."

There was no response to her words.

"If that's too confusing try this:" she ticked the list off on her fingers,

"I mind control you.

You mind control the Council.

Now the Council has control over the Sky Knights…"

"And the Sky Knights control everyone else, so in the end you rule the world."

"Exactly. Now, before I put you under mind control I want to tell you what happened to Aerrow, just so you know what's happening to yourself…"

*

"Now Dark Ace, tell me why Aerrow isn't with you."

Dark Ace stepped around the immobile man to kneel before his master. Placing a hand over his heart he lied,

"There was no way to help him. They had all the Sky Knights with them and Piper used your orange crystal on him. It would have compromised the entire project to grab him in that state _and_ drag both of them out of there."

He looked up and then quickly back at his feet; she knew he was lying.

"It doesn't matter now, anyway. We'll have him back soon enough. You know what to do so go do it."

She folded her fingers over the red and green stones in her hands; the Council leader got to his feet and followed the Dark Ace obediently.

* * * *

Piper opened her eyes and looked around the blue-blackness of her room, making sure Starling was asleep on her cot before rolling silently out of her bed. She shivered as her bare feet touched the cold metal floor but left her shoes off, choosing stealth over comfort. She listened to the creaking of the ship, waiting for any noise that didn't belong. When she was sure everyone was asleep she tip-toed over to her bedside cabinet, opened the top drawer and pulled out Cyclonis' crystal.

She winced as the door opened with a hissing sound and crept into the hallway. She peeked into Aerrow's room; he was asleep, curled into a little ball facing her against the wall. She crept in and leaned against the wall opposite him, raising her crystal.

She resisted the urge to go and move the hair off of his closed eyes, maybe to stroke his cheek.

He looked so…harmless and innocent like this.

Closing her own eyes she squeezed the crystal and plunged into his unresisting mind.

*

"Piper, what are you doing in here?" Junko whispered in surprise.

She jerked awake, looking around in confusion. She noticed Aerrow, in the same position as last night, and remembered.

"I was fixing Aerrow…"

She jumped up, knocking the plate of food out of Junko's hands, "Junko! I did it! I fixed Aerrow!"

"You changed him back?"

"Yeah!"

"We still have to wait," Finn said, appearing in the doorway, "for the change to take affect, remember?"

"Right…but he'll be okay!" Piper was very nearly crying, smiling, but teary-eyed, "He'll be okay!"

"He's going to have a really bad headache," Stork said, inching around the door frame.

"I have some crystals for that Stork, do you want some?"

Piper wiped to the tears away with the back of her hand and led Stork out, not before turning back to look at Aerrow again. She walked out to the bridge and over to the small First Aid kit hanging on the wall. She produced two tiny lilac coloured stones and passed one to Stork; he pressed it to his temple and sighed, walking back to the helm.

"Great job Piper." Starling called from her place at the table.

Piper grinned and sat next her, they were quickly joined by Finn and Junko.

"Where would like to be dropped off Starling? Or would you rather stay with us?"

They all looked hopeful for the second offer.

"I think I'll stick around for a bit, if that's alright."

"Sure, as long as you want."

* * * *

"Look!" Finn pointed, his eyes going huge and mouth dropping open.

His finger lead the rest of their eyes to the left of the _Condor_, a little ways over Terra Atmosia where a lone Cyclonian skimmer hovered placidly.

Piper and Finn both lowered a periscope and zoomed in on the distant figure.

"It's the Dark Ace again."

"And he's got the Head of the Sky Knight Council!"

Finn pushed the periscope up into its holder and looked at everyone else sitting at the table, "Does he have a name?"

"Finn! Do you know how rude that is?"

"What? We just keep calling him the 'Head of the Council,' doesn't he have a real name?"

"Uh…Okay, you know what? Let's just call him Oliver. Dark Ace has Oliver on his skimmer and we need to go see what's up." Starling said.

"Oliver? Why not something cool like-"

"Finn!"

"Okay, fine, whatever."

*

"He hasn't seen us yet. Okay everyone, get close enough to see what Dark Ace's doing but not close enough for him to notice you."

"Right" came three enthusiastic answers.

Everyone revved their skimmers and took off form the _Condor_'s landing strip.

*

Once again the dark, diabolical workings of his master's mind escaped him. He couldn't see why they couldn't just drop off beaten and bruised old man on the Terra and leave so he could take Control faster and with less complication. But Cyclonis was Cyclonis and she was his master. He'd done as she asked; pointlessly beat the numb, mindless prisoner until it'd looked as if he'd been tortured and then flown him here to wait for the Storm Hawks.

Dark Ace'd noticed them immediately thanks to the small but impressive tracking system Cyclonis had installed and dragged the old man to his knees on the wing of his Switchblade, taken out his energy sword and stood motionless until he was sure the teenage brats could see him.

Now he brought his blade up to old man's eye level and began a pointless rant about absolutely nothing to make it look as if he was, perhaps, giving a victory speech. He could faintly hear four engines off to his left and lowered his speech so they couldn't hear him.

Again, it was all part of his master's needlessly complicated plan to control the Atmos through victory of the mind. He shook his head, hopefully adding to the drama of giving the man a last lecture in full view of his own home and Terra.

He brought his glowing red sword up as if to deal the final blow of the execution and was knocked flat on his back by a bolt of blue energy.

He growled and turned around on the other wing, jumping back to his feet and firing his own energy blasts at the Storm Hawks and their older friend, Starling.

He concentrated on her, purposely letting Finn snipe the wing right off of his ride. He roared in real fury and jumped off his plummeting ride, deploying his glider wings and jetpack. He twisted in midair and fired one last shot at the sharpshooter before ducking below the cloud line and heading back to Cyclonia with all intentions on returning for his damaged ride later.


	18. Chapter 18

* * * *

"Is he okay?" Starling asked as Junko pulled out of the dive from which he'd caught 'Oliver.'

He shrugged and readjusted the unconscious man's positions on his skimmer.

"Come on; let's get him back to the Condor, he looks pretty banged up."

"What I don't get," Finn voiced, flying up beside Piper, "is why they didn't keep him longer."

"I know…it's only been like, 36- 40 hours…what ever. He can tell us when he wakes up."

*

"She had me tortured for information, and I regret to say I slipped sometimes. Because of this and other things I saw in that _horrible_ place we need to change. The ways of the Atmos now cannot stand up to Cyclonis' power if she ever decided to use it fully, but she doesn't know that! We need to change now, before she _does_ realize, and we can hope for the best."

There were several protests from those present at the Council meeting but all were overruled. The Head of Council continued,

"Our Sky Knights are in no fit shape to protect anyone and Cyclonis is preparing her forces-"

"But you said-"

"I said she doesn't realize how much we can bleed if she stabbed us, and right now she is only sharpening her blade. We have the time and necessity to change! I and the other Council members will discuss what needs to be done and send word to each of your Sky Knights regarding the matter. You may speak to them about this later if you so wish it."

*

"You think we should've let him go back so soon? I mean, he's just been tortured and everything…"

"There's nothing we can do about it now, Piper. All we can do is wait and see." Starling watched Piper's expression carefully and sighed, "We just need to wait for Aerrow to wake up and then we can all think of a plan together, okay?"

"Yeah..."

"Here," Starling turned her around, propelling her to her room on the _Condor_, "I just read this great new fiction on Atmos' Dark Ages- Radarr?"

Radarr tugged on her sleeve, pointing excitedly down the hall. He jumped up and down when the girls didn't move, growling to get them going. They followed Radarr around the ship, stopping in front of the last room outside the Hanger. There was a light moaning coming from inside; Piper opened the door and her eyes met Aerrow's green ones. She gasped, rushing forward and leaving Starling frozen still in the doorway.

"Aerrow! You're awake! You're okay!"

"Uh…Piper…" he gasped, trying to unwrap her arms from his neck, "please…let me _breathe_!"

She loosened her grip a little and pulled back, making absolutely sure that he was _Aerrow_; he smiled timidly at her. And then she was crying; tears streaming down her face, bawling into his shoulder, mumbling incoherently. Aerrow froze, completely at a loss for what to do. He awkwardly moved his hand to her back and tried to rub it soothingly, his chains clinking as he did so.

Starling noticed and she stepped forward, pried the sobbing Piper off of him and procured the key. Aerrow sighed and rubbed his wrists,

"Thanks Starling, but, uh…could you tell me _why_ I had manacles on in the first place?"

* * *

_**End Part 2.**_

_**I apologize if this totally sucks but my writing's been lax lately...I just couldn't write, I **_**couldn't**_**! **_

_**But that last sentance seems to have clicked something into place 'cause I feel...uh, author...-ish right now. **_

_**It gets better, the story. And it's almost done. **_

_**...17 chapters...16, 696 words...**_

_**(I did not make that number up, I love Microsoft Word's Word Count app!)  
**_


	19. Part 3

_**Should I post yet? Hmm, why not?**_

_** I SWEAR it does get interesting again...and it's ending soon so I can stop torturing you, Readers, with my horrible story...**_

**And I'm sorry Flame Soldier I did it again! (Sorry, sorry!!!)**_**  
**_

* * *

**History Part 3-**

**_Of Confusion and Vengeance _**

"You don't remember _anything_?"

Aerrow rubbed his neck, "The last thing I really remember would be…Piper's impression of Finn," he grinned, noticed their uneasy expressions and let his smile fall, "Why? What happened?"

"Cyclonis captured you a few months ago, put you under mind control and made you do…bad things." Piper said slowly.

"What kind of 'bad things?'" He asked hesitantly.

"Well, you know…the usual for Cyclonis. You attacked us and captured a bunch of people and you were going to take over Atmos with the Dark Ace."

"Yeah, you two were being all friendly, well, you more than him but it was seriously creepy" Finn jumped in.

"Did I hurt any of you?"

"No, of course not! Why would you think that?"

"I know you're lying guys. How bad did I hurt you? Oh Starling! Is that why you're limping? I'm so sorry!"

"Aerrow it's okay, it wasn't really you and I know that. Besides it wasn't that bad anyway…really."

He still looked doubtful so Starling got him to stand up from the round table everyone had moved to and lunged at him. When he was pinned to the ground and very unable to move Starling grinned, "There. If I can manage to take you down then there's no harm done. Now cheer up, you're free."

Despite Starling's declaration that she was absolutely fine, there was no harm permanent done, it took a few more days for Aerrow get comfortable with everyone again. The others watched him closely for any sign that he was becoming evil again (somehow) and he went even more out of his way to help them.

"Aerrow seriously, I'm fine. You don't have to make up for anything! Just…stop asking if you can help, please. It's getting kind of annoying."

"Sorry."

"And stop apologizing!"

"Sor-"

Piper held up a finger, "Don't say it."

Aerrow smiled and laughed; everyone laughed with him.

They soon went back to their previous activities and Aerrow sat on the couch to watch Piper fix the radio (apparently he's smashed it when they were bringing him on board).  
"_-Atmos' number one source for celebrity news-_" the radio buzzed back to a working channel and Piper sat back, rubbing the light glaze of grease off her hands on a towel.

"-_of the Storm Hawks_-"

"Hey Piper, can we listen to a different channel? Please?"

She flicked the off switch and glanced at Aerrow, "Sorry, I didn't know if you wanted to hear any of that or not."

"I'll take your word on what happened, Piper, I don't need to hear Guy Skyly's view of things."

"Aerrow, you know it wasn't your fault. It wasn't you."

He sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Listen! Cyclonis even gave you a new name so it really _wasn't_ you, Aerrow of the Storm Hawks." she smiled.

Aerrow looked skeptical, "A new name? Do I want to hear it?"

"Maybe," there was laughter in her voice, "We all loved it. It was better than what Snipe nicknamed you."

"Okay, now I _know_ I don't want to hear it."

"Well too bad, you brought it on yourself. Anyway, we snuck in to Cyclonia to get you back and hopefully reverse the Hypnosis but we got caught-"

"I knew that was coming!"

"Hey!" Piper whacked him with the greasy towel; everyone laughed and put down what they were doing to listen.

"So. We got caught in Cyclonis' main chamber, throne room thing, when she put an automatic trigger under that big Talon symbol to make chains wrap around us. Anyway, Cyclonis walked out and started bragging about how she'd made a new crystal to make you 'permanently hers' and that she was taking over Atmos with your help. She had Finn under regular mind control too and he was covering us with his crossbow. Um…yeah, then she introduced us to you, _Blood Raven_!"

"Blood Raven? Urgh," he slapped his forehead, "She actually called me that?"

Finn, also being told Aerrow's 'evil' name for the first time had a confused, amused and skeptical look on his face. Junko laughed and pointed, breaking the others attempts not to laugh. Aerrow groaned and wished aloud that he was (almost) anywhere else.

* * * *

* * *

_**Anyone else think 19+ chapters is too much? **_

_**I could just wait until I finish the story and then post a bunch of different chapters at once if anyone wants to wait...  
**_


	20. Chapter 20

_**And your torture continues...  
**_

* * *

Aerrow waited until everyone had gone to bed, trying to make up his mind. Finally reaching a decision he left his room and walked to Piper's. He could hear her and Starling (who'd been sharing a room much to his surprise when his had been free) talking. He hesitated to knock and pressed his ear to the door when he heard his name.

"But why is he awake now? Finn said it had taken weeks to change him but this only took a few days!"

"Yes, I've been thinking about that. Maybe…it's because Cyclonis tried to make him into something he wasn't and he fought it. But when you changed him, you changed him _back_ and that sleeve fit better so it didn't take as long."

"Maybe. It makes sense but-"

Aerrow knocked; it was as good a time as any. A few seconds later the door slid open, Piper stood there holding a housecoat around her shoulders; she looked surprised to see him.

"Aerrow, hi, come in."

She skipped back to her bed and plunked down on it, turning to look at him. He stepped into the room and leaned against the door when if hissed shut behind him. He glanced around, Starling was on a cot near Piper's vast bookcase; she smiled at him.

"Aerrow?" Piper asked.

"I had a question for Starling…"

Starling combed the hair behind her ears with her fingers and sat up straighter.

"I know you guys say you've forgiven me but-"

"Aerrow, we talked about-"

"No, listen! You guys say you've forgiven my but what about everyone else?"

"Finn, Junko and Stork have, you know that, and Radarr too if he was _ever_ mad at you."

"Piper, that's not what I meant! What I meant by everyone else was everyone else in the Atmos! What about the other Sky Knights, the Council, everyone who watches the news?"

He lowered his voice and dropped his eyes, "Do they think I'm a traitor? Are they going to lock me back in Atmosia Stockade? I was only there for a few hours but I don't ever wanna go back there!"

"Oh…that _could_ be a problem."

He nodded. Piper took his hand and sat him beside her on the edge of the bed.

"They'll listen, Aerrow" she put a hand on his shoulder, "We have the crystal as proof and if we need to we can use regular hypnosis to prove that it wasn't _you_."

Aerrow looked from her tentative smile to Starling's and back. He half returned it and stood.

"You're right. I'm just being paranoid. So…good night?"

"Good night Aerrow."

"Maybe you left out his self-confidence, Piper?" Starling asked when the door closed.

"It's like survivor's guilt. He'll be fine."

* * * *

None of them talked about their conversation the next day. Aerrow finally burned the red and black outfit Cyclonis had given him and found some extra striker crystals for his energy daggers.

He, Finn, Junko, and Starling spent the morning training on the landing strip while Piper read Starling's book. Just after noon they stopped for a quick lunch Piper had conjured up after Finn almost sliced her book in half.

Everyone turned to the faint humming sound of an approaching skimmer.

It was unmarked but it didn't set off any of the _Condor_'s alarms. No one recognized the pilot; a tall brown haired man with dull blue eyes.

He landed on the far end of the strip and reached for a pouch lying on the seat behind him. He approached slowly as if unsure whether or not he should be there. He walked to Starling, assuming a more confident air as he got closer, and told her he had an important, private message for her.

The others went inside leaving the two strangers alone and waited. It was dark when Starling came inside and they heard the departing skimmer's engine fade. Piper met her by the hanger,

"What'd he want, if can ask?"

"Just telling me about the new changes the Council wants. Excuse me, Piper, there's something I need to do now."

"Of course, dinner's ready if you're hungry."

"Sure." She said absently, and brushed the younger girl out of the way, her eyes blank and slightly unfocused.

Piper raised an eyebrow at the retreating Sky Knight and wandered back to the bridge.

"Hey, what'd that guy want with Starling?" Aerrow asked.

"Don't really know. Something about the new changes the Sky Knight Council wants, she said."

"Why didn't he talk to me too? I'm still a Sky Knight."

"I don't know."

"They don't trust me," he mumbled.

"No, Aerrow…" Piper reached to turn him around as he made to leave but thought better of it and let her hand drop.

Finn looked up from his plate of food, watching as Aerrow left the bridge, "Hey, uh, what'd that guy want from earlier?"

"Argh, Finn!"

"What?"

"I just answered that! Nothing!"

"Well he obviously wanted something or he wouldn't have flown all the way out here."

"What? Oh, never mind!"


	21. Chapter 21

**_All my chapters seem ridiculously/pathetically short (but that _could_ just be the incredibly low self-esteem)_.**

**My dad just showed my Airwolf with Jan Micheal Vincent, anyone seem it? The helicopter is amazing, wish it was real...I'd settle for the RC one though.**

* * *

She lay still on the cot in the dark room, staring into the infinite blackness behind her eyelids. She heard and did not hear the slow breathing next to her, the creaks of the ship settling. She didn't think, didn't exist independently.

'_Stand up_' said the dark voice in the void of her mind. She obeyed, swinging her legs silently around and leaning forward to slip off the cot.

'_Reach out and take the crystal from the pouch we gave you…now aim it at the girl…activate it._'

*

Aerrow closed his eyes, letting the cold wind blow though his hair and cool his face. He dangled his legs over the side of the Condor's flight deck, his head in his hands.

"You think we'll ever get this sorted out Radarr?" he asked the furry copilot sitting next to him.

Radarr whined in indecision, unsure of whether the Council would even be willing to listen. Aerrow scratched his friend behind the ear, waiting until the instinctive tense in Radarr's body left and he gave in, curling up beside him. They both turned their attentions back on their own thoughts, their gazes once more on the stars.

*

The girl struggled, glaring angrily yet in confusion as the blank Sky Knight stood over her. She tired to shout but the crystal energy serving as a gag muffled the sound to a weak groan. Then Starling abruptly turned and left the room, her gait awkward and slightly unsteady.

She walked silently to the next room down the hall and stopped in front of the door.

'_No_' whispered the voice, '_leave the Wallop for last_.'

Starling halted again, this time in front of Finn's door. She walked in, the noise of the door not so much as making the sharpshooter twitch. As commanded she once more lifted the red crystal and fired at the sleeping teen. He jolted awake as the sizzling energy cuffed his wrists and ankles and gagged his mouth. He shook his head to clear it and then tired to get up, only to topple painfully into the guitar collection at the foot of his bed.

*

"Did you hear something?" Aerrow asked, whipping his head up and glancing around. Then he realized why Radarr hadn't; he was asleep. Aerrow stood, scooped his furry friend into his arms and headed for the doors, nudging Radarr awake.

*

Starling stood outside the next to last door, the Merb's room. Stepped forward but the door didn't open. She didn't react but the voice in her head did.

'_Curse it! Stupid, paranoid Merb! Touch your hand to the door and feel for something inconsistent like a knob or keyhole._'

The Sky Knight obeyed and as soon as her hand made contact with the door a shrill alarm filled the ship; the lights flickered.

*

"That's Stork's alarm!" Aerrow shouted, speeding to a run, Radarr right beside him.

They rounded a corner and faced Starling staring blankly at a wall, her hand on Stork's door.

"Starling?!?"

She turned and fired the red crystal at him, its energy shot out, surrounding and immobilizing him. Aerrow wobbled for a second then crashed to the floor almost landing on Radarr. Radarr growled and leapt at Starling, she stepped back and threw him off into the wall. She aimed the crystal at him but before she could move Junko appeared and pinned her arms behind her back, looking down at her in confusion. He grabbed the crystal out of her hand and released Aerrow. He got up, rubbing his jaw and left Junko for the moment to check on the others. He returned with Piper and Finn as Stork edged out of his room, teeth chattering.

"You're sure it's regular Hypnosis Piper? It's not…the other kind?"

Piper shook her head, "First of all, it would have taken days or weeks to change her and then she would have changed physically as well. Also, her eyes wouldn't be so glazed either and her movements were all awkward, programmed but fought against. If you don't believe me here," she handed him the Blocker crystal.

"I never said I didn't believe you," Aerrow aimed the crystal at Starling and after a quick pulse of energy her eyes focused on him.

She shook her head and looked around, "What's going on?"

"I don't know, but I really think there's something we need to talk about," Piper said.

"What?"

"Making a plan; this is all getting a bit ridiculous."

* * * *


	22. Chapter 22

"Alright, I've made a list."

Piper set a large white poster board on the miniature easel on the table. She circled the red writing with a gloved finger and looked at everyone seated around her. The list said:

**What We Know:**

_-Cyclonis captured Aerrow; mind controlled him_

_-altered his mind to be more permanent_

_-Aerrow tried to capture 'Oliver'; failed_

_-We captured Aerrow; Dark Ace got away with 'Oliver'_

_-Aerrow fixed in only a few days_

_-Cyclonis released 'Oliver'_

_-We returned 'Oliver' to the Council; questionable decision_

_-'Oliver' making changes, claiming Cyclonis about to attack and would win_

_-mysterious visitor put Starling under mind control; fixed_

"Everyone agree?" she asked when everyone had read the list.

Aerrow waved his hand across the table, "Yeah, but who's 'Oliver'?" he motioned the quotes with his fingers.

"He's the Head of the Sky Knight Council. Finn got tired of saying the title so we came up with a name for him."

"And you chose Oliver?"

"He does look like it could be his name!" Finn said defensively.

Aerrow shrugged and Piper cleared her throat. They turned back to look at her.

"We have all this information but we don't know Cyclonis' plan. All that Hypnosis could just be a distraction or it could be part of her bigger plan. We don't know. But we do need to find out what it is so we can stop it. Any ideas?"

"I thought you were the smart one?" Finn said, teasing.

She glared at him and folded her arms across her chest, "Be serious Finn."

Starling was staring at the board, counting things on her fingers, her eyes blanking out every few seconds.

"Starling," Junko asked, gazing at the older Sky Knight in concern, "are you okay?"

She held out a hand for quiet and continued to mouth things to herself for a few minutes. She glanced up at Piper's list, down at her fingers, and then at the poster board again.

"I was remembering things…that I was told during the Hypnosis…yes. It makes sense…Oh gosh!"

"Starling?"

"Whatever Cyclonis' new obsession with Hypnosis, it's…genius! She's taking over the Atmos with mind control! Look," she stood and walked over to Piper's chart, pointing, "When Cyclonis failed to use Aerrow" he cringed in the background, "to take over Atmos she went to the next most desirable power. Aerrow is the leader of her mortal enemies, you, so then the next highest power is the Head of the Sky Knight Council, ehm, 'Oliver.'"

"That's pretty much exactly what the list says." Finn volunteered into the expectant silence Starling had left.

She groaned, "The Head of the Sky Knights! He's making changes! What if Cyclonis hadn't tortured him for information and then tried to execute him? What if she mind controlled him and then set him 'free?' He's calling meetings and sending couriers to each Sky Knight individually…"

"Then that would mean-" Piper whispered.

"Cyclonis is controlling everyone with any influence in all of Atmos!" Aerrow finished.

"She wins." Starling agreed.

"Oh, this is so much worse then Bog Fever!" Stork rambled, clutching Radarr's tiny shoulders, "We'll be forced to mine crystals by hand, or tortured and killed, or worse," he shuddered and dropped his hold on Radarr, lifting his hands his head, "have to work as her kitchen staff!"

"Well it's not like we can take the Blocker Crystal to everyone in Atmos! Even if we tried she'd just re-Hypnotize people, how do we stop her?"

"Piper, you're avoiding the solution. We have to go to Cyclonia. We have to defeat Cyclonis or risk being the only sane ones in Atmos for either a very long or very short time. The short time followed by nonexistence or…kitchen staff." Aerrow glanced at Stork, wondering why he thought that'd be worse than torture.

"But we'll need help! We can't launch an attack by ourselves, we'll be killed!"

Starling looked at Aerrow and he grinned at her, she knew he was thinking the same as her, they both turned to Piper, "We weren't thinking of an assault," they synced, "more of a stealth infiltration."

Piper narrowed her eyes at the two Sky Knights, "How do you mean 'infiltration?'"

They didn't seem to hear and everyone else turned to shrug at her.

"We'll need one, possibly two Chroma crystals-"

"I can act it."

"Okay, so one Chroma crystal, a Hypnosis crystal and that orange crystal of Cyclonis's… anything else?"

"Handcuffs?"

"Trick handcuffs."

"Right. Should we change the Condor at all?"

"Uh, no, I don't think we need to."

"What are guys talking about?" Finn yelled.

Everyone jumped and turned to look at him; he shrunk out of their reaches. Aerrow nudged Starling, "Finn too?"

"It might make things easier. Three against," she glanced at Radarr, "three and a half is a lot less suspicious, even for Sky Knights."

"Hello? Are we invisible or something?" Finn tried again, running over and waving his hand in front of their faces, "What are you talking about?"

Starling sighed, "We're going to pretend that Piper hadn't figured out how to work the changer crystal and that I had never been freed of Hypnosis. Aerrow's going to use the Chroma crystal, with Piper's help, to make himself look like Blood Raven. Then he and I will radio Cyclonia and tell them that we captured you. We'll take you as 'prisoners' directly to Cyclonis and either quietly Block the Hypnosis or directly attack her. We will know when we get there."

"It works, I suppose," Piper said after a bit, "but it's still pretty risky. What if Cyclonis has you attack one of us? What if either of you slip up before we get to Cyclonis and we have the whole Talon army after us in the halls of Cyclonia? I mean Aerrow, you're not evil! Starling-"

"And Finn."

"-only have to do what they're told, but you actually have to act independently evil!"

"If she tries to get me to hurt any of you then we can always just drop the act and attack her," he gave a cocky grin, "Everything will be fine, trust me!"


	23. Chapter 23

"You don't even know him, Aerrow. Trying to act like Blood Raven would be harder than trying to act like… like Rashe!"

"Who's that?"

"He was an explorer in the Pre-Estolian dynasty, he found the Infinity Stone. But that's my point, you don't know him so you can't be convincing in acting like him! Aerrow this is dangerous, we should just try to free everyone from the Hypnosis individually."

"Piper, that would take ages and it would give Cyclonis plenty of time to figure out what we're doing and just re-Hypnotize everyone and eventually us. This is the fastest and easiest way."

"Depends on your view of easy" Piper mumbled.

"Come on Piper," he smiled, lifted her chin in his hand and forced her to look at him.

"No, you come on, Aerrow!" she slapped his hand away, "this is serious; could you at least try to act a little nervous!"

"How do you know I'm not nervous? Maybe I'm scared out of my wits, but I'm acting!" He threw his hand up over-dramatically in the air as he said the last word, twisting his wrist and throwing back his fingers. His smile stretched and then faded, he dropped his hand, "I am serious about this Piper, believe me, but my faith in all of us just overpowers that. Now, I think you better make use of that Chroma crystal or the others will wonder why we took so long if my hair's still red."

"Is that what I looked like? Hm, freaky." Aerrow pulled the skin away from one eye, angling his head to the light but not enough that he couldn't see in the mirror.

"There's orange in it," he said, dropping his hands and turning to face Piper. His expression was quizzical.

She shrugged. "I think it's a mark of the crystal's power, a trace. I noticed it on Stork too, a few lines of orange on his eye. From far away your eyes look flat black," Piper shivered but smiled in agreement, "It is kinda freaky."

"Okay, the eyes I get," he turned back to the mirror, "but why did my hair change colour too?"

"I hadn't thought of that…um, I guess because…the crystal changes...you. And your physical appearance is connected to your personality, you're born with it and it…it's you! I can't explain it. When people dye their hair, they change who they are, sort of, it's kinda like that…" she looked up and laughed as she met his dark eyes, "That was complete baloney! I can't believe I said that out loud."

"You've been very philosophical lately," he said.

His expression stunned her and left her wondering what he was thinking, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

He shrugged and grinned, "Let's go. I want to see Finn try his 'blank look' for the Hypnosis."

"Ha! More like his usual look…only with effort this time."

"Master Cyclonis," interrupted the deep voice of one of her Talons, "reports are saying that the Condor is now in Cyclonian territory. And also that they are hailing us, someone named Blood Raven saying he's captured the Storm Hawks?"

"What! Let them through, send out a squadron to escort them to the closest hanger and get them in here!"

"Too late to turn back now," Aerrow said, grimly.

He stood by the controls, next to Stork, one of his energy blades held in the general direction of the pilot. Stork whimpered and steered the ship into one of the larger hangers, parking it right behind their escort. Everyone took a last, steadying breath and assumed their roles to the best of their acting abilities.

Aerrow with Radarr again on his shoulder took Piper, grasping her upper arm and leading her out of the ship first. Stork came after them of his own 'free will,' handcuffed like the rest, looking too scared to do anything but walk. And Finn and Starling each covered Junko, Finn with his crossbow aimed at the Wallop's back, Starling by his side and one end of her nun chucks against his arm.

The Talons regarded them with high suspicion, adding their weapons to the parade as they were led through the halls of Cyclonis' palace to the Throne Room; one of the Talons pushed open the doors for them and everyone filed in. Aerrow took one step farther than anyone else and bowed deeply, coming up to stare into his enemy's eyes, waiting for whatever she would decide next.

Cyclonis studied him for a full minute, looking into each of his eyes, grasping his chin and turning his head to the light, before she smiled. She stepped back, grinning wide, and congratulated him.

"Well done Aerrow," she said quietly, before moving on to speak to Piper, "You couldn't change him back. I'm not surprised."

"You taught him to fight it!" she spat back, raising her hands as if to strangle the other girl.

Aerrow grabbed her arm again and wrenched her away from Cyclonis; he glared down at her, silently warning with his eyes for her to not provoke anything.

"I want my crystal, Piper."

"You think I'd be stupid enough to bring it-er, leave it where he could find it?"

Cyclonis raised her hand, narrowed her eyes, and the orange crystal flew out of Piper's pocket into her waiting fingers. "Apparently," she said.

She fingered the crystal for a moment then turned and walked to where the Dark Ace was standing next to her crystal machine. She stopped beside him, her back to the Storm Hawks, whispering unintelligible words to her henchman; he sneered back at the captives and nodded once. He turned and left the room through a back door, saying nothing, but he brought a hand to his sword as he passed out of view.

There was silence for a few minutes, the Talon guards fidgeting, but no one else moved a muscle. Eventually Cyclonis turned back to face them, her face blank of expression.

"A valiant effort," she said, picking up her staff, inserting a blue-green crystal in one end, "but I'm afraid I'll have to cut this performance short."

She fired a bolt of green energy at Aerrow, sending everyone else running for cover. He stayed where he was, clenching his fists as the Blocker's energy caused his disguise to flicker; he glared up at Cyclonis.

"Piper doesn't pay enough attention to detail," she said with a shrug, "and she talks too much."

Aerrow growled and pulled out one of his energy daggers, dropping back into a fighting stance, "It doesn't matter, you would have found out sooner or later."

He made to attack her, but she spoke again, freezing him in confusion and suspicion, "You know Aerrow, you could pay attention to details more often as well."

He heard a scrape fabric against fabric behind him and spun around, only to meet with a world of black stars.

Piper looked up from her hands at Aerrow's cry and watched as he went flying; the Dark Ace stalking after him, then redoubled her efforts to remove the handcuffs.

"Here," Finn said, popping up out of nowhere and freeing her hands.

"Thanks Finn," she jumped to her feet and whipped out her staff, running to help Aerrow.

With a yell she brought her staff down on the Dark Ace's blade, knocking it away from her leader and giving him time to get to his feet. Dark Ace growled and attacked her; she had barely any time to block herself before the next blow came. Both hands on the staff, holding it over her head to parry the older man's blade, she kicked out at him. He stumbled back and she took the opportunity to attack again; sweeping her staff low, aiming for his stomach. He jumped out of the way and she swung at his head, missing as he retaliated, throwing his sword downward at her face. And then a smaller red blade caught between the twin spokes of the Dark Ace's blade, twisted, and sent it flying.

"Aerrow" she breathed, momentarily relaxing though the sounds of battle continued behind her. He continued to glare at the Dark Ace, "Go help Finn and Starling."

She did, fighting her way into the throng of Talons surrounding her friends, ending up back to back with Finn.

"Where's Aerrow?" he asked, whacking one of the Cyclonians over the head with his crossbow.

"Fighting the Dark Ace"

He doubled over as the Dark Ace's foot connected with his chest, but he saw, though his vision momentarily blurred, the older man scramble back and grab the hilt of his blade, lighting it up. Aerrow took a deep, slightly painful breath and righted himself, tensing for the fight; his left hand clenched on the one dagger, his right on Starling's Hypnosis crystal. Then they faced each other in silence, each waiting for the other to make the first move.

They started circling and the Dark Ace spoke, "You know Aerrow, even if you made it out of here alive, the Sky Knight Council would kill you at first sight."

Aerrow lunged forward and the Dark Ace held his sword out sideways, stopping the dagger inches from his face.

"Tell me something I don't know," Aerrow grunted, throwing all of his weight onto the dagger.

The Dark Ace grinned, though the effort of blocking Aerrow's blade was evident in his features, "You won't make it out of here alive, none of you."

He forced Aerrow's dagger away from himself, pushing it to the side, causing the younger boy to stumble. He swung at Aerrow's back, the metal connecting, crystal energy just missing the flesh, and sent him running forward to keep his balance. He twisted as the boy turned to face him, his back on Cyclonis. She raised her hands, wrists together, aiming them at Aerrow's back; gradually his face lost expression and he moved slowly to face the girl.

Piper glanced over to where she knew the Dark Ace and Aerrow were fighting, and froze.

That isn't right, she thought, sprinting forward. Cyclonis was speaking, not talking but commanding. There was a quiet lilt to her voice now and she was whispering too softly for Piper to make out the words. But Aerrow was leaning forward intently, his eyes locked with the other girl's. He barely seemed to be breathing, his face open and smoothed of expression. Then she noticed the green crystal still clenched in his fist and she remembered the control Cyclonis had over crystals.

"No!" she screeched as she collided with her dark-eyed friend, sending them both crashing to the cold stone floor.

"Ow, Piper, what are you doing?" he said angrily, pushing her off of him and sitting up.

"Aerrow, drop the crystal."

"Why? I…I need to hold on to it."

"Please Aerrow! Cyclonis can control you through it!"

He hesitated, and then held out his hand to her, fingers still clenching the Hypnosis crystal tightly, "I shouldn't."

"Yes…" she pried his fingers one by one off the stone, and tucked it into her pocket.

He shook his head to clear it as they both stood and looked around. Aerrow made sure the others were holding their own and then grabbed Piper's hand as the Dark Ace started toward them.

"Come on," he said, shoving open the throne room doors, "I just thought of something. We need to hurry."

He turned right and led her down the hallway, then left at the corner, and left again at the next. He stopped at the far corner of that hallway, peering around the corner before turned back to Piper, "I need that crystal Piper, please, I have an idea."

"Aerrow, Cyclonis can control you through this," she pulled the stone out of her pocket, "I'm not going to let-"

"Fine you hold it Piper," he leaned down to whisper in her ear as the pounding of footsteps grew louder, "but think! How many people would it take to mind control every Sky Knight in the Atmos? A lot, Cyclonis can't be doing it all on her own, and she didn't have a Hypnosis crystal on her anyways."

"You think she's got-!"

He made a grab for the crystal and wrenched it out of her hands, flinging his arm out around the corner before jumping out himself. He turned back to Piper, a crooked smile lighting his face and motioned her over; the Dark Ace stood frozen in the hall, the glowing Hypnosis crystal pressing into his forehead, his face blank.

She smiled, "He can help us find everyone who's controlling the Sky Knights."

"My thoughts exactly. Piper, you have your Blocker crystal with you? Good, use it to overload the Hypnosis crystals the Dark Ace leads you to, find a way to take out anyone using one."

"Where are you going?"

"Back to help the others!"

"Right," she took the green crystal from him, hurriedly reactivating it as it changed hands.

"Good luck," he sprinted off, pulling out both daggers as he ran and disappeared around the corner.

"Right," she said again, sighing, and made the Dark Ace walk.

When he came through the doors alone, she knew something was wrong. Cyclonis held her staff at the ready, waiting as he ran through the fighting crowd of people in the middle of the room and jumped up the step to the dais. Aerrow wasted no time, his last step becoming a jump as he attacked with both blades drawn. She blocked, twisting out from under him and bringing the staff 'round to hit his shoulder. He spun with her, catching the staff with the left blade and striking with the right. Cyclonis ducked and he missed; they separated, coming to a face off.

"So where's Piper?" she asked.

"She's foiling your plans for world domination. Where's the Dark Ace?" he taunted.

She scowled and struck out, jabbing the staff like a spear; he leapt back to avoid it, jumping forward again as she pulled back, slicing at her arm. Cyclonis twisted out of the way and swung her staff blindly, the sudden, unexpected impact jarring her whole body. Aerrow shouted in surprise and both turned to the hollow 'tink' sound of a crystal skittering on the metal floor. He looked at his broken dagger, the red energy crystal now lying a few feet away under Cyclonis' machine, and then attacked, slicing at the girl with the hard metal weapon.

Piper stopped in the doorway, amazed but not surprised by what she saw in front of her.

Ten or so Talons were seated around the room, some straight-back and focused, other sprawled across desks or the floor looking completely bored; but all with green Hypnosis crystals in hand. She sucked in a quiet breath, not wanting to bring herself to the notice of the ignorant Cyclonians, and turned her mind to the more pressing matter, like making a plan.

She needed to distract the Talons or break the Hypnosis before she knocked anyone unconscious, but to do either she'd need to release the Dark Ace…maybe not. She took the Blocker crystal into her hand and made the Dark Ace walk into the centre of the room. A few Talons looked around, but their Control was not destroyed. She forced the Dark Ace to draw his blade, and then to attack. The Talon closest to the man's sword shouted and rolled backwards off his chair, the green crystal flying out of his hand; the glow dying, the energy released. Piper dropped her own Hypnosis crystal as everyone in the room turned to look at the black-haired Cyclonian commander, and she activated the blue-green crystal that remained in her grasp.

A pulse of blue energy filled the room, knocking Talons backwards and shattering the remaining Hypnosis crystals. Piper slipped out of the room, unnoticed because of the chaos made by the confused and angry Cyclonians, and ran towards the throne room.

He had her pinned; her on her back, him with his dagger at her throat.

"You know I'm not going down this easy," Cyclonis hissed through clenched teeth.

Aerrow nodded, scowling, "Yeah, you are."

Quick as lightening he brought his broken blade down, the handle connecting mutely with her temple. At the same time he gasped in sharp, painful breath of air and looked down. Cyclonis' staff pressed the changer crystal into his chest, the tiny stone glowing fluorescent orange. Aerrow fell to the ground beside the unconscious girl, his face blank, his mind opened one more time.

"No!" Piper pried the orange crystal from the tip of the staff, turned her back on the dwindling fight between her friends and the six Talons still standing, and kneeled next to him. Touching the cold diamond edge of the changer crystal to Aerrow's forehead, she dove into his mind, focused only on changing one thing and then reversing in the same spot, anything to wake him back up again.

She came out of the trance to find Starling at her side, a little worse for wear but whole; she smiled tentatively at the older woman. Starling's face remained stony.

"I freed the other Sky Knights," Piper said, "and Aerrow managed to knock out Cy…clonis? Where is she? She was right here, beside us!"

Starling nodded, looking extremely annoyed, "We couldn't find the Dark Ace either. I think he took her and ran off…coward!"

"At least he didn't kill me."

"I suppose, if you want to be optimistic." Starling sighed.

Piper exploded, throwing her hands out and slamming her fists against the floor, "But I don't! We were so close! It's not fair!"

"Well, now you have the crystal, you have Aerrow back," Starling slipped the Chroma crystal out of his pocket, watched as there was flash and Aerrow's features returned to normal, "and you saved the Atmos from certain destruction."

"…Yeah" Piper smiled and this time the Sky Knight returned it, "and now we have to save Aerrow from certain doom. We can worry about Cyclonis later


	24. To Coin a Phrase: Finn

Aerrow stood in front of the Sky Knight Council's desk, his head down, arms folded in front of him and locked with crystal handcuffs. He glared down at a patch of the red carpet a few feet to his left as one of the old men read off a list everything he'd been charged with and then continued on to his sentence.

"Banishment?" Piper repeated in surprise, standing a little ways off to the side with the rest of the Storm Hawks and Starling, "You can't actually _banish_ him! He stopped Cyclonis from taking over the Atmos!"

"_After_ he almost took over Atmos himself! That was plan B wasn't it," the man shouted, looking back at Aerrow, "you couldn't finish what you started so you tried to convince everyone it was a misunderstanding by turning on you master! You are worse than that Dark Ace!"

That was a low blow and Aero flinched but he didn't try to defend himself. He stayed quiet and turned his head into his shoulder, closed his eyes.

"That's not true!" Junko spoke up, his voice strong, steady.

"But it is Junko," Aerrow said quietly, the Council man grinned, "I _did_ try to take over Atmos. And I captured the Sky Knights…and I hurt Starling. I'm just like him."

"You're not Aerrow! The Dark Ace did those things of his own free will, you were being controlled-"

"It was my free will Piper," he said harshly, "you know that. All Cyclonis did was change my mind."

"She _Changed_ your mind, it wasn't really you!"

"Are you _trying_ to get yourself banished?" Finn yelled.

There was silence, not even the Council spoke. After a few minutes Aerrow whispered "No. I only wanted it made clear that I won't forgive the things I've done, in my right mind or not" he looked up to glare at the old men seated at the tall desk, "but if I'm being banished, then you are coming with me" he raised his bound hands and pointed at the Head of Council.

Everyone froze at his words, a few of the men gasped; no one ever talked like that to any of the men, it was inconceivable, even more so to hear _Aerrow_ saying it.

"You are threatening-" someone started in a low voice.

"Not threatening, just making sure that you serve justice to everyone equally. If you're charging me with betrayal to Atmos, then I'm charging him as a Sky Knight with assisting the enemy in trying to take over the world. You all know that, so deal out the proper punishment. Don't get lenient with the rules just because he's a member of the Council!"

"This is different, boy" one of the men hissed.

Aerrow shrugged, "Oh, don't explain to me," he turned and pointed to the camera crew poking through the door, "explain this _difference_ to them."

"Yeah, Aerrow!" Piper whispered, smiling wide.

He fought down a smile and turned back to the Council, looking up expectantly at them. His eyes danced as he saw the conflict raging in each of them, as they struggled for words. And then, after another minute of silence, first on and then another of them spoke up, "Yes, I see your point."

"No one will be banished today. All charges against you have been dropped, though your Sky Knight privileges and duties are suspended until further notice. We'll be keeping an eye on you."

This last sentence was a whisper intended only for him and he kept his face neutral as a page unlocked his hands. But as he turned to leave, his face stretched into a wide, smug grin.

*

"Aerrow, I just thought of something," Piper said, catching up to him as he stepped around the excited camera crew, "Aerrow, what if we get called on a mission? You're not going to sit back and ignore it. Are you?"

"Of course not," he said, beaming at her, "I'll just say I'm helping as a friend. As long as I don't wear the Storm Hawks insignia, they can't touch me."

The others caught up with them a moment later and all seven left the Council Hall, down the streets of Atmosia, and back to the Condor.

"It's good to have everything back to almost normal, huh?" Finn said, clapping Aerrow on the back.

"Yeah Finn, and what's _almost_ _normal_?"

* * *

_**Well**_** that_ took an insanely long time didn't it? It did for me -.-  
_**

**_And it took a completely different turn than I thought it would! I had originally planned...*whisper* for Aerrow to _die.**

**_ Oh my gosh, how tragic right? The main character and everything! He wouldn't have actually stopped living though, there would have been a sequal, blah blah blah, it's 12:04 AM. _**

**_Cheers! _  
**


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